MUSCICAPIM. 







longer than the middle toe, and covered in front with an almost entire scale. Toes moderate, with the 

 outer lateral toe longer than the inner one ; the hind toe moderate : the claws rather short, compressed, 

 curved, and acute. 



The species of this genus are peculiar to Australia, where they are generally observed in the recently cleared marshy 

 ground or in the densest mangroves and thickets, and are either seen creeping among the fallen trees or on a stump, 

 making various semicircular motions, and at the same time spreading out their tails, uttering loud notes, which Caley 

 compared to the noise of a razor-grinder, when at work. The note of another species has also been remarked by 

 Mr. Gould to be similar to the croak of a frog, but while perched on high branches of trees they utter a rather pleasing 

 succession of sounds resembling twit te twite ; on the slightest disturbance they immediately descend again to the under- 

 wood, and recommence their froglike note. The nest is built among the branches, and it is composed of stringy-bark 

 bound together with vegetable fibres, among which in some instances cobwebs are mixed ; sometimes small pieces of 

 thin bark are attached, some of them hanging by a single thread, and moving about with every breath of air. The eggs 

 are two in number. 



1. S. inquieta (Lath.) G.R.Gray, Lamb. Icon. ined. ii. 51. — 

 Turdus dubius Lath. Lamb. Icon. ined. ii. 67- ; T. muscicola Lath. 

 Lamb. Icon. ined. ii. 49- ; Seisura volitans Vig. § Horsf. Swains. 

 Nat. Libr. Flycx.pl. 12. 



2. S. volitans (Lath.) G. R. Gray, Lamb. Icon. ined. i. 59- 



3. S. nitida (Gould), Proc. Z. S. 1840. p. 171., B. of Austr. pi. ; 

 Type of Piezorhynchus Gould (1840). 



> 



Myiagra Vig. Sj- Horsf.* 



Bill moderate, straight, more or less broad, and much depressed at the base, with the sides gra- 

 dually compressed, and the culmen slightly curved to the tip, which is emarginatecl ; the gonys very 

 long and ascending; the gape furnished Avith numerous short bristles; the nostrils basal, rounded, 

 and partly hidden by the frontal plumes. Wings long, with the first quill very short, and the fourth 

 and fifth equal and longest. Tail long, broad, and even. Tarsi short, longer than the middle toe, and 

 covered with broad transverse scales. Toes short, with the outer toe longer than the inner ; the hind 

 toe moderate : the claws short, compressed, and curved. 



The species inhabit the thick bushes that border the lagoons and ponds of Australia and India. They are seen flitting 

 from branch to branch, and occasionally darting after insects on the wing, pursuing those only which approach within 

 two or three feet, scarcely remaining in the same position for more than a few seconds, and then resuming their flight. 



1. M. rubecula (Lath.) G.R.Gray, Lamb. Icon. ined. ii. 44. — 

 Platyrhynchus ruficollis et P. rubecula Vieill. ; Myiagra rubeculoides 

 Fig. 4- Horsf. 



2. M. plumbea Vig. et Horsf. Linn. Trans, xv. p. 254. 



3. M.flavipes Swains. Nat. Libr. Flyc. x. p. 255. 



4. M. latirostris Swains. Nat. Libr. Flyc. x. p. 255. 



5. M. — Myiagra latirostris Gould, Proc. Z. S. 1 840. 



p. 172., Voy. au Pole Sud, Ois. t. 12. bis, f. I, 2. ? 



6. M. nitida Gould, Proc. Z. S. 1837. p. 142. 



7. M.fascinans (Lath.) Lamb. Icon. ined. i. 58. — Sylvia leu- 

 copha;a Lath. Lamb. Icon. ined. iii. 28. ; Myiagra macroptera Fig. 

 4 Horsf.; Type of Microeca Gould (1840). 



8. M. assimilis (Gould), Proc. Z. S. 1840. p. 172. 



9. M. ftavigaster (Gould), Proc. Z. S. 1842. p. 132. 



10. M. axurea (Bodd.) PI. eul. 666. f. 1. — Muscicapa c»rulea 

 Grnel. Le Vaill. Ois. d'Afr. t. 153. ; M. occipitalis Vigors; M. cre- 

 ruleocephala Syhes, Kittl. Kupf. Vogel. t. 9. f. 1. 



11. M. — ■- ? (Homb. & Jacq.) Voy. au Pole Sud, Ois. t. 12. 



bis, f. 3. 



12. M. ? (Homb. & Jacq.) Voy. au Pole Sud, Ois. t. 12. 



bis. f. 4. 



13. M. longlcauda Swains. Nat. Libr. Flyc. x. pi. 25. 



14. M. torquata Swains. Nat. Libr. Flyc. x.p. 208. 



* Established by Vigors and Dr. Horsfield in 1825 (Linn. Trans, xv. p. 250.). Hypothimis of M. Boie (1828) is synonymous. It 

 embraces Mieraca of Mr. Gould (1840). 



