THE BROWN FLYCATCHER. 287 



MUSCICAPA LATIROSTRIS 



119. Muscicapa latirostris Raffl. THE BROWN FLY- 

 CATCHER. 



MUSCICAPA LATIROSTRIS Raffles, Trans. Linn. Soc. London, xin, 2, p. 312 

 (1822 Sumatra). 



Alseonax latirostris Raffl., Nicoll, Bull. B.O.C., xxm, p. 93 ; Muscicapa 

 latirostris, id., Brit. B., in, p. 112. 



DESCRIPTION. Adult male and female. Winter. Whole upper - 

 parts uniform brown to grey-brown ; lores and narrow circle round 

 eye dull white ; ear-coverts and sides of chin and throat brown, 

 with a whitish streak below base of under mandible ; centre of chin 

 and throat white ; brsast and flanks with centres of feathers pale 

 grey-brown and edges whitish, giving sometimes a slightly streaked 

 appearance ; centre of belly and under tail-coverts white ; axil- 

 laries pale buff ; tail dark brown ; primaries dark brown, inner 

 webs edged pale buff ; secondaries same but outer webs also 

 narrowly edged buff to whitish ; primary-coverts dark brown ; 

 greater coverts dark brown very narrowly edged greyish ; median 

 and lesser coverts brown with greyish-brown tips. This plumage 

 is acquired by a moult of the body-feathers in July-Aug., but the 

 wings, wing-coverts and tail are not moulted in autumn. Slimmer. 

 From Feb. to May a complete moult takes place, new plumage 

 being like old except that tail-feathers usually have small greyish- 

 white tips. As summer advances upper-parts become greyer- 

 brown by abrasion. 



Nestling. (Not examined.) 



Juvenile. Like adult, but most feathers of upper-parts with 

 pale buff spots at tip and feathers of under -parts with dusky tips, 

 wing-coverts and inner secondaries with pale buff tips. N.B. 

 The correct identification of the few juvenile specimens available 

 seems uncertain. 



First winter. Like adults, but always to be distinguished by 

 broader and more clearly defined pale buff or whitish edgings and 

 tips to greater coverts and in fresh plumage by similar margins to 

 inner secondaries. The juvenile body -plumage, lesser and median 

 wing-coverts are moulted in Aug.-Sept., but apparently not rest of 

 wings nor tail. First summer. The body -plumage is again moulted 

 Feb.-May, but apparently not wings, greater wing-coverts and tail. 

 Pale tips of greater coverts become much worn in summer, but one 

 or two are usually distinguishable. 



Measurements and structure. $ wing 67-74 mm., tail 45-51, 

 tarsus 12.5-14, bill from skull 10.5-12 (12 measured). wing 67-74. 

 Primaries : 1st 1-5 mm. longer than longest primary-covert, 3rd 

 and 4th longest, 2nd 5-7 shorter, 5th 2-3 shorter, 6th 8-10 shorter ; 

 3rd and 4th distinctly, 5th slightly, emarginated outer webs. 



