64 BRITISH BIRDS 



like tips to shafts ; lower tail-coverts reddish-brown ; bill 

 and tarsi black. Length about 7*50. Female : duller 

 generally, and with few of the wax-like tips to secondaries. 

 An almost annual winter visitor to British Isles ; on 

 eastern side occasionally appearing in some numbers. 

 Feeds at this season upon berries of various kinds. 



Family Muscicapidae. 



GENUS XXXI. MUSCICAPA, Linnaeus (1766). 

 Bill moderate, base wide and depressed, tip compressed 

 and slightly decurved ; gape furnished with bristles ; 

 wings rather long, pointed ; feet small. 



78. Museieapa grisola, Linn. SPOTTED 

 FLYCATCHER. 



Hab. Europe, north to lat. 70 ; also N. Africa, 

 Palestine, and Asia, eastward to Lake Baikal. In winter 

 migrating to Africa and India. 



Male : cap pale brown, with a dark brown streak in 

 centre of each feather ; back and lesser wing-coverts dull 

 brown, tinged with olive ; wings dusky-brown ; greater 

 coverts and secondaries having paler edges ; tail dark 

 brown ; throat, breast and sides buffish-white, with small 

 streaks of brown ; chin, centre of abdomen, and under tail- 

 coverts, pure white ; bill dark brown, yellowish at lower 

 base ; feet brownish-black. Length 575. Female : duller 

 and rather less spotted on under parts. Young : head and 

 nape mottled with white and blue-grey, and mantle with 

 various shades of brown ; under parts white, tinged with 

 pale brown on breast and flanks, but not spotted. 



A common visitor to British Isles, arriving early in May 

 and leaving at end of September. Frequents woods, 

 parks, gardens, shady lanes, etc. Nest : commonly placed 



