58 GARDEN AND AVIARY BIRDS. 



not to be captured except for purposes of export ; it 

 would be a charming bird to acclimatize in warm 

 tropical islands where insectivorous birds are wanted. 



The breeding-season of the bird is from May to July, 

 and the nest is small and open, built in a branch. Four 

 or five pink eggs with red spots are laid. 



There is a rather pretty native legend about this 

 Flycatcher, somewhat to the following effect. Once, so 

 goes the story, it was a Bird of Paradise indeed, snow-white 

 in every feather, and with all its twelve tail-feathers 

 in the form of long ribbon-like plumes. But it gave 

 itself such airs that Allah, to punish its presumption, 

 deprived it of its beautiful plumage. On the bird's 

 repentance, however, it was allowed still to carry two 

 of the cherished streamers, though its face was 

 blackened to remind it of its former shame. 



THE FANTAIL FLYCATCHER (Rhipidura albifrontata) is a 

 bird of somewhat different type and habits. Its bill is 

 rather shorter, and very decidedly bristly at the root ; its 

 legs are a little longer than those of Flycatchers generally, 

 and its tail of moderate length, but broad and rounded. 

 It is about seven inches long and slender in form ; the 

 plumage is dark grey-brown above and white below. It 

 has a pair of broad white eyebrows on a black head, and 

 the tail is broadly tipped with white, so that, on the 

 whole, it is a strikingly coloured bird. The hen is merely 

 a little duller than the cock, but the young are marked 

 with buff on the back. 



This bird is found all over the Empire, but does not 

 go very far up the Himalayas. It is a most charming 



