408 SOFT-TAILED FLYCATCHER. 



THIS most singular species is thus commemo- 

 rated in the second Supplement to the General 

 Synopsis of Dr. Latham : " Length from beak to 

 rump three inches : beak brownish black ; base 

 furnished with strong bristles : nostrils low down 

 on the beak : the general colour of the plumage 

 ferruginous, but the feathers of the upper parts of 

 the body and wings are streaked down their mid- 

 dle with brownish black : the middle of the belly 

 nearly white : over the eyes, arising at the base 

 of the beak, is a pale blue streak : throat and 

 fore-part of the neck of the same blue colour : 

 the feathers of the rump are soft, long, and silky: 

 wings short, nearly reaching to the base of the 

 tail j the quills are dusky, edged with ferruginous : 

 the tail is four inches or more in length ; the shafts 

 very slender and black, the webs on each side 

 consisting of minute slender hairy black filaments, 

 placed at distances, and distinct from each other, 

 as in the feathers of the Cassowary : legs pale 

 brown : the female is like the male in colour, but 

 wants both the blue streak over the eye, and the 

 chin and throat are of the same colour as the rest 

 of the under parts. 



" Inhabits New Holland ; being found about 

 Sydney and Botany Bay in marshy places, abound- 

 ing with long grass and rushes, which afford it an 

 hiding place, and where, like the Bearded Tit- 

 mouse, it is supposed to make the nest : when 

 disturbed, its flight is very short, and it is found 

 to run on the ground with great swiftness : feeds 

 on small flies and other insects : known in the 



