1.94 FLYCATCHER. 



This is given for a Brazilian Species, but Seba must have been 

 misinformed, as no such bird inhabits that part of the world ; in his 

 plate it seems imperfect, especially in the tail, and is no doubt one 

 of the foregoing-. 



We have hitherto been far from clear concerning the birds above 

 described. M. Levaillant seems to have elucidated the matter suffi- 

 ciently to prove, that there are several distinct Species, which have 

 been confounded, and that they inhabit only India, and its Isles, as 

 Ceylon, &c. ; and even of these he has suspicion that some may 

 be distinct, which have hitherto been considered as Varieties, and 

 clearly ascertains, that the white, and the rufous one, are not merely 

 distinct as to sex, but that they have alternately the white, and rufous 

 plumage, in various moults, or perhaps at different periods of age; 

 and that the difference of sex is conspicuous only in the length of 

 crest, and two middle feathers of the tail ; and even the male has the 

 elongated tail feathers only for about three months, during which 

 it breeds. 



We find these birds represented in various drawings from India ; 

 but unless accounted for on the principle abovementioned, seem to 

 contradict each other ; in some the white one appears as the male, 

 and the rufous the female ; in others, both sexes are rufous, differing 

 only in the length of the two middle tail feathers; and in one drawing 

 the male is wholly rufous, except the crested head and neck, which 

 are blue black ; the other the same, with the under part blue grey ; 

 in this the exuberant tail feathers are only two inches longer than 

 the others ; whereas, in the male they are at least eight : in both the 

 bill and legs are blue, the bristles at the base of the bill very long. 

 The nest is composed of twigs and fibres, attached in several places, 

 to the ends of forked branches, in shape like a deep purse, open at 

 the top ; and two young appear in the nest. 



These are said to have come from Malacca ; are common in the 

 Province of Oude. The name given to them in India is Shawbul, 

 and Scha Bulbul ; or, King of the Singing Birds, from its having a 

 most delightful note. 



