

MUSCICAPJN.E. 



lateral, exposed, and suboval. Wings long and pointed, with the first quill long, and the third and 

 fourth nearly equal and longest. Tail long and nearly even. Tarsi the length of the middle toe, and 

 covered by an entire scale. Toes moderate, with the outer longer than the inner, the hind toe long, and 

 the claws moderate, curved, and acute. 



These birds are found in the forests of the warmer portions of South America. 



1. M. regia (Gmel.) PI. enl. 289., Swains.Nat.Libr.Flycx.pl. 

 15., Swains. Ornith. Draw. 51, 52. 



2. M. cristata (Gmel.) Naturf. xvii. t. 1 ., Shaw, Nat.Misc.pl. 

 405. 



3. M. rupestris (Pr. Max.) Reise, i. p. 345. — Tyrannus belli- 

 cosus Vieill. ; Platyrhynchus hirundinaceus Spix, Av. Bras. t. 1 3. 

 f. 1. 



Rhipidura Vig. fy Horsf* 



Bill moderate, broad at the base, and narrowing towards the end, with the culmen rather depressed, 

 and curved to the tip, which is emarginated ; the lateral margin straight ; the gonys long, and slightly 

 ascending, and the gape furnished with numerous lengthened bristles ; the nostrils basal, lateral, and 

 partly covered by the plumes and bristles. Wings long and rather pointed, with the first quill short, 

 and the fourth and fifth the longest. Tail lengthened, broad, and graduated. Tarsi longer than the 

 middle toe, and covered in front with broad scales. Toes short, with the outer one longer than 

 the inner, the hind toe long, and the claws moderate, curved, compressed, and acute. 



These birds are found in India, its archipelago, New Zealand, and the islands of the Indian Ocean. They are seen 

 in pairs or in small flocks in the open country during the summer months and retire to the underwood of the forests for 

 the cold portion of the year. The change of situation is caused by the nature of their food, which almost entirely 

 consists of small insects. They are active and restless birds, constantly moving from branch to branch in searching for 

 and flying for a short distance after insects on the wing, and they often raise their spread-out tail and lower their wings 

 prior to reseating themselves on a slender branch. While in the air, says Mr. Gould, it (the Australian species) 

 " assumes a number of lively and beautiful positions, at one moment mounting almost perpendicularly, constantly 

 spreading out its tail to the full extent, and frequently tumbling completely over in the descent." The nest is placed 

 on a branch within a few feet of the ground ; it is composed of bark of trees, neatly woven together, and lined with soft 

 substances ; the eggs are usually two in number. 



1. R. flabellifera (Gmel.) Lath. Gen. Syn. pi. 49. — Muscicapa 

 ventilabrum Forst. Desc. Anim. p. 86., Icon. ined. 155., Voy.au 

 Pole Sud, Ois. t. ll.f. 4. 



2. R. albiscapa Gould, Proc. Z. S. 1840. p. 113., B. of Austr.pl. 

 — Rhipidura flabellifera Vig. Sr Horsf. Swains. Nat. Libr. Flyc. x. 

 pi. 10. 



3. R, melanura G. R. Gray, App. Dieff. Trav. N. Zeal. ii. p. 190., 

 Voy. au Pole Sud, Ois. t. 1 1. f. 5. 



4. R. pectoralis (Homb. & Jacq.) Voy. au Pole Sud, Ois. t. 11. 

 f. 3. 



5. R. Lessoni Homb. & Jacq. Voy. au Pole Sud, Ois. t. 11. f. 2. 



6. R. fuliginosa (Sparrm.) Mus. Carls, t. 47- 



7. R. bicolor (Sparrm.) Mus. Carls, t. 46. 



8. R. ochracea (Sparrm.) Mus. Carls, t. 22. 



9. R. albofronlata Frankl. Proc. Z.S. 1831. p. 116., Jerd. 111. 

 Ind. Ornith. pi. 2. 



10. R. alba (Sparrm.) Mus. Carls, t. 76. (a variety). 



11. R. pectoralis Jerd. 111. Ind. Orn. p. ., Blyth, J. As. B. 

 1843. p. 935. — Leucocircus fuscoventris Jerd. Madr. Journ. Lit. 

 &Sci. 



* The late Mr. Vigors and Dr. Horsfield established this genus in 1825 (Linn. Trans, xiii. p. 246.). It is coequal with Muscylva of 

 M. Lesson (1831) ,- and embraces Leucocirca of Mr. Swainson (1838), Chelidorynx of Mr. Hodgson (1845), and probably Cryptolopha of 

 Mr. Swainson (1837). 



