THE MUSCICAPIDJE. 71 



This timely hint may save the student much trouble ; 

 and when we come to treat of the family in question, 

 the peculiarities which separate the Old from the 

 New World flycatchers, will be fully explained. 



The geographic range of this family in their pre- 

 eminent typical examples, is almost confined to inter- 

 tropical regions ; to those countries, in fact, where 

 insects which constitute their principal, if not their 

 only food, are the moat abundant. During the heat 

 of summer, three, or perhaps four species migrate into 

 northern and central Europe, build their nests and 

 rear their young, but on the first approach of au- 

 tumn they disappear and return to the more genial 

 coasts of Asia Minor or Southern Africa. The aber- 

 rant divisions, with the solitary exception of one 

 genus, are all peculiar to South America. The great- 

 billed Eurylaimi are exclusively Indian, while the 

 true MuscicapidoB) which comprise a greater number 

 of species than are to be found in all the other di- 

 visions collectively, are distributed in nearly equal 

 proportions over the hot latitudes of Africa, India, 

 and New Holland; some few of very particular forms 

 are found in Brazil, and others equally remarkable 

 are restricted to the Australian province, but none, 

 as we have already intimated, occur in North 

 America. 



From these preliminary remarks, the reader will 

 be better prepared to understand the nature of the 

 family which will now be investigated. As a whole, 

 it is not what we should call a perfect group, be- 

 cause several of the connecting types are wanting ; 



