214 FLYCATCHER. 



whitish margins ; chin, belly, and vent yellowish white ; the end half 

 of the tail feathers black, fringed at the very tip with buff-colour; 

 bill black ; legs dull flesh-colour. 



This bird seems to vary much in its markings, as may be seen 

 both in specimens and drawings sent to this Kingdom : in some, the 

 tips of all the tail feathers are white ; chin white, passing on each 

 side of the neck, and forming a collar before ; on the breast some 

 black markings, and from thence to the vent white. In others, the 

 rufous colour on the forehead passes over the eyes; the base of the 

 tail, for one-third, as well as the back, is rufous, then brown, and 

 finally tipped with paler rufous ; but in most the tail is half rufous, 

 half brown ; the wings generally reach about one-third on the tail ; 

 legs dusky. The above differences may probably arise from age or 

 sex, but we do not sufficiently know the history of them, so as to 

 ascertain the fact. 



These birds are reported to be of very short flight, generally 

 found among brush and rotten wood, often on marshy ground, and 

 likewise near the sea shore. 



96— BLACK-TOPPED FLYCATCHER. 



Motacilla atricapilla, Ind. Orn. Sup. p. liii. 

 Black-crowned Wagtail, Gen. Si/n. Sup. ii. 231. 



SIZE and habit of our Wagtail. Bill and legs yellow ; crown 

 of the head black ; body above pale brown, beneath white, inclining 

 to orange on the breast ; quills black ; tail long, somewhat cuneiform, 

 the middle feathers a little pointed ; colour of all of them red-brown 

 half way from the base, from thence to the end yellowish. 



Inhabits New South Wales, and is a scarce bird ; has much the 

 appearance of a Wagtail, but on a later investigation, seems to be 

 much allied to the Rufous-fronted Species, of which it is probably a 

 young bird, if not a female. 



