37 

 MUSCICAPA GRISOLA. 



Syst. Nat. 328. 



THE SPOTTED FLY-CATCHER. 



PLATE. XXXVII. 



X he bill is black, broad, and flat at the base, and has 

 a rising angle along the upper chap. 



The eyes are brown, the eye-lids white, the nostrils 

 round and naked. At the angles of the mouth are a few 

 black hair-like feathers. The head is of a perfect 

 mouse-colour, with a small dark line down the middle 

 of each feather. The back is mouse-coloured, only 

 a little inclining to a red-brown near the tail. The 

 tail is composed of twelve feathers, all of an uniform 

 dark mouse-colour. 



The first quill feathers are the same colour as the 

 tail, only the tips are a little paler. 



The covert feathers are a pale mouse-colour, with 

 brown edges. 



The cheeks above and below the eyes are white. 

 The throat and upper part of the breast are a dusky 

 white, with brown touches down the middle of the 

 feathers. 



The sides under the wings are a pale brown-red. 

 The belly and feathers under the tail white. 



The legs, feet, and claws, small, and black. 



The cock has a pretty sweet warbling song. He 

 sits on the branch of some tree, with his wings quiv- 

 ering and half raised; when a fly approaches, he hops 

 off to seize it, and immediately returns to his branch, 

 and to his song. 



The Spotted Fly-Catcher is known in some places 

 by the name Beambird, or Postbird. 



