254 FLYCATCHER. 



winter. It is observed, that many more females than males have 

 been met with, at least double the number; though sometimes as 

 far as six females have been seen together; hence it would seem, that 

 it is in some degree polygamous. The male often seen to mount verti- 

 cally to a great height, as thirty-six feet, and then drop suddenly, 

 and perch on some bush ; frequents moist spots among reeds and 

 rushes, on which it sits, never being seen on trees ; and springs from 

 thence on insects flying by. 



161— PARAGUAN FLYCATCHER. 



Le Guira Yetapa, Voy. d'Azara, iii. No. 226. 



LENGTH eleven inches and a half, of which the tail is seven 

 and a half; extent of wing nine. Bili about seven lines long, straw- 

 colour; irides brown ; feathers of the head and neck dusky, margined 

 with light brown ; ears covered with longish feathers ; back and 

 rump lead-colour, bordered with brown ; quills brown, edged witli 

 white; greater wing coverts black, with white edges; the others 

 marbled white and ash-colour; region of the ears black ; about the 

 eye, base of the bill above, throat, and neck before, and all the 

 under parts white ; on the lower part of the neck, and part of the 

 breast, a half collar of black, edged with light brown; the first 

 quill is shortest, the third longest; upper wing coverts end in a 

 point ; the tail has twelve feathers, the exterior on one side is joined, 

 at the under part, to the exterior one on the other side ; both are 

 without webs, for seventeen lines of the length from the base ; and 

 the webs on the upper part, for it has none on the under, are eighteen 

 lines long ; the plane of these two is vertical ; the second is five 

 inches and a half shorter, and four inches and a half longer than 

 the two middle ones; the others are cuneiform, and ull of them 

 pointed at the end, stiff, and without webs atthe-base. 



