THE SPOTTED FLYCATCHER. 19 



FAMILY MUSCICAPID^. 



THIS large family of birds was not even regarded by Seebohm as a distinct 

 Subfamily, but was included by him in the Turdince ; yet it forms a very 

 characteristic group: the bills of Flycatchers are somewhat flattened and broad 

 at the base, compressed and somewhat curved towards the point ; the rictal bristles 

 which, in insectivorous birds serve to prevent the escape of winged insects from 

 the base of the bill, are very strongly developed, and numerous in this family. 



The Flycatchers, as their name indicates, are rapid flyers, and consequently 

 have long pointed wings ; their eyes also are large and full ; they perch mostly 

 on trees, very rarely descending to the earth ; their feet, as might be anticipated, 

 are small, the middle toe being considerably longer than the lateral ones. 



The nests of the Flycatchers are open, and more or less cup-shaped in 

 character ; they are frequently placed in holes or crevices in trees, rocks, or walls ; 

 but some of the species build upon thick branches, or even in the forks of branches ; 

 the eggs of the different species vary considerably in character, some being heavily 

 spotted, and others spotless.* 



The flight is undulating ; the song low-pitched, and not of great merit ; the 

 food consists mainly of insects, but is supplemented occasionally by a little fruit. 



Formerly the limits of this group of birds were much more extended than at 

 present ; Jerdon even included the Blue-throats, and expressed it as his opinion 

 that the Tyrants of the New World belonged to the family : Seebohm observed 

 that " The Flycatchers inhabit the Palaearctic, Oriental, and Ethiopian Regions, 

 extending southwards to the Moluccas, but not occurring in the Australian Region. 

 Four species are found in Europe, of which two breed in the British Islands, and 

 one is an accidental visitor." The latter, at the time when the " British Birds " 

 appeared, had only occurred here three times, but of late years other examples 

 have been obtained. 



* The little New World genus Polioptila, referred by Dr. Sclater to this family, is said to build in 

 bushes, and to lay white eggs. 



