282 A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



.FAMILY MUSCICAPLD.E 



(including the so-called Sylviidce, Turdidce 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 Flycatchers, 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 Muscicapidce, as 

 here conceived, have the following characters in common : 



They are ten-primaried Oscin.es, 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 

 partially frugivorous. Cosmopolitan. 



Key to genera of family MUSCICAPIDCE. 



t Wing over 110 2 



I Wing under 110 mm 3 



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



2 1 male with throat blue . Monticola 



i Bill shorter than middle toe with claw, throat never blue Turdus 



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



3 J black subterminal bar Agrobates 



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



Outer rectricea from base to tip and upper tail-coverts 

 chestnut red. Plicenicurus 



Outer rectrices and upper tail-coverts never chestnut-red 

 or only on basal half. 5 



Axillaries pale lemon-yellow (except in Phylloscopus 

 fiiscatus, which, however, has striking buff superciliary 



Axillaries white, grey, buff or brown (mostly without 

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



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

 \. Bill narrower, Warbler-like, tail-feathers square . . . Phylloscopus 



( Ten rectrices .- . Cettia 



7 *. Twelve rectrices 8 



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

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



