180 PASSERES. MUSCICAPAD^. 



leaves. Four or five eggs are laid, of a drab hue 

 or reddish-white, with blotches of reddish-brown 

 and bluish irregularly intermixed, but chiefly ar- 

 ranged in the form of a crown around the larger 

 end. 



In the month of September they become, in com- 

 mon with their grey congeners, a mere mass of 

 fat, and are at this time in much request for the 

 table. They are supposed to acquire this fatness 

 by feeding on the honey-bees, which then resort 

 in great numbers to the magnificent bloom-spike of 

 the cabbage-palm. Hither the Petchary also resorts, 

 and sitting on a frond captures the industrious 

 insects as they approach. At this time the large 

 and branching spike of blossom, projecting and 

 then curving gracefully downwards, and looking 

 as if exquisitely moulded in white wax, is a very 

 beautiful object; and the pollen from the flowers 

 is diffused so abundantly, that the ground beneath 

 the tree, appears exactly as if it had been visited by 

 a snow-shower. 



This appears to be the species alluded to by 

 Robinson in the following note. " They [the Ty- 

 rants, Baristi, as he calls them,] are all very bold 

 birds, especially the largest species called the Log- 

 gerhead, who beats all kinds of birds indiscrimi- 

 nately; he is also the harbinger of the morning, 

 constantly giving notice of the approach of day 

 by his cry. When he is beating a Carrion Crow 

 or other birds, he snaps his bill very frequently; 

 he is a very active, bold bird, and feeds upon 

 insects and lizards. I have seen him give chase 



