INSESSORES. 



151 



" There is scarcely any difference in the plumage of the two sexes ; 

 both have it equally soft and lax, so much so, that it is exceedingly 

 difficult to skin them in such a manner as to make good specimens." 



Dr. Pickering mentions this bird as follows : 



" The ' fan-tailed fly-catcher' was often met with in the woods. It 

 is an exceedingly familiar bird, and will approach within a few feet of 

 you, with its tail elevated and expanded, apparently attracted by 

 curiosity. I saw it only flitting from branch to branch, keeping near 

 the ground among the undergrowth, and never observed it taking 

 short flights for the capture of insects in the usual manner of fly- 

 catchers." 



This little bird belongs to a group of very graceful fly-catchers, 

 forming the genus RJdpidura, of which the species are restricted to 

 the islands in the Pacific Ocean. They are remarkable for long and 

 fan-like tails, and hence have obtained the designation as above given 

 by Dr. Pickering. 



2. Rhipiduea nebulosa, Peale. 



Rhipidura nehuhsa Peale, Zool. U. S. Exp. Exp. Birds, p. 99 (1st edition, 184S). 



Atlas, Ornithology, Plate IX, fig. 2, Young, 



Voy. Ast. and Zel. Ois. Plate II, fig. 5 ? 



Tota fuliginosa, gutture et aurihus albis, crissis albis. Refert R. alhls- 

 capam. Long. tot. 5 J pollices. 



Form. — Generally much resembling that of R. alhiscapa. Tail long ; 

 wings moderate or rather long; legs slender; bill wdde; bristled at 

 base. 



Dimensions. — Total length (of skin), about five and a half inches; 

 wing, three inches ; tail, three and one-fourth inches. 



Colors. — Under coverts of the tail white. All other parts of the 

 plumage, dull fuliginous, darkest on the head, and lightest on the 

 abdomen. Throat and obscure spot on the ear whitish ; shafts of the 



