ORDER PASSERES. 339 



Platyrhynchus Dupontii. 



Nape pale bluish-ash ; crown black ; chest above 

 yellow ; back and rump olive-green. America. 



The Flycatchers properly so called, [Muscicapa, Cuv.J 



Have the mustaches shorter and the beak narrower 

 than the Flyeaters. It is, nevertheless, depressed 

 with a strongly marked ridge above, straight edges, 

 and the point a little bent. 



Two species of this subgenus inhabit France 

 during summer; they live retired on the elevated 

 branches of trees. The most common is 



Spotted- Flycatcher, Muscicapa Grisola, Gm. PI. Enl. t. 565. 



f. 1. 

 Is gray above, whitish underneath, with some grayish 

 spots on the breast. In some countries they are 

 kept in rooms to destroy the flies. 

 The other is 



Pied Flycatcher, Muse. Jltricapilla, Gm. Enl. 565. 2. f. and 3. 



Is very remarkable for the change of plumage of the 

 male, similar to the female in winter, that is gray, 

 with a white band upon the wing ; they assume, 

 during the season of their loves, a pleasing distri- 

 bution of pure black and white .; the back, wings, and 

 tail black ; the front collar, underpart of the body, 

 and a band on the wing and exterior edge of the tail, 

 white. It builds in the trunks of trees. 



The ancients were well acquainted with this bird 

 under the name of Si/calis and Ficediila in its best 

 plumage ; but as the name Beque-figiie, which answers 



