282 A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



.Family MUSCICAPID.E 



(including the so-called Sylviidce, T^irdidce and most of the 

 " Timeliidce "). 



Flycatchers, Warblers, Thrushes and " Timeliidce " form one 

 large family ; the supposed sections generally looked upon as families 

 cannot be limited ; on the other hand, when uniting such different 

 forms as Flj'catchers, Thrushes, Warblers, Chats, etc., it is, of 

 course, more difficult to give a short diagnostic description of this 

 assemblage. All that can be said is, that the Mnscicajndce, as 

 here conceived, have the following characters in common : 



They are ten-primariecl Oscines, varying in size from that of a 

 Thrush to a Chiffchaff. The bill is very variable, thin and pointed, 

 wide and flattened, or like an ordinary Thrush's beak. There are 

 generally some distinct rictal bristles, often strong and well 

 developed, sometimes obsolete. Tail-feathers 12, in a few cases 10. 

 Insectivorous and vermicivorous. Thrushes and some Warblers 

 partiall}' frugivorous. Cosmopolitan. 



Key to genera of family Muscicapid.^. 



f Wing over 110 2 



I Wing mider 110 mm 3 



I Bill equal to or longer than middle toe with claw, adult 



2 male with throat blue Monticola 



< Bill shortei" than middle toe with claw, throat never blue Turdus 



I Outer rectrices cinnamon-rufous with wide, white tip and 



3 -' black subterminal bar Agrobates 



V No wide, white tip to lateral rectrices ... 4 



f Outer rectrices from base to tip and ixpper tail-coverts 



chestnut red. Phoenicurus 



4A 

 j Outer rectrices and upjjer tail-coverts never chestnut-red 

 ^ or only on basal half. 5 



' Axillaries pale lemon-yellow (except in Phylloscopus 

 juscatus, which, however, has striking buff superciliarv 

 line) 6 



Axillaries white, grej', buff or brown (mostly without 

 striking buff superciliary line, which, however, is con- 

 spicuous in fferfewocttto) 7 



I Bill wider, more Flycatcher-like, tail-feathers more pointed Hypolais 



y Bill narrower. Warbler-like, tail-feathers square . . . PhyUoscopvs 



f Ten rectrices Cettia 



^ Twelve rectrices 8 



I 1st primary about half as long as 2nd ... 9 

 8 i 

 *- 1st primary much less than half as long as 2nd . .10 



