FAN-TAILED FLYCATCHER* 



341 



This beautiful species, which is figured by Dr„ 

 Latham, is thus described by that celebrated or- 

 nithologist : " Size of the Bearded Titmouse : 

 length six inches and a half: beak black, a little 

 bent, and furnished with bristles at the base : the 

 irides hazel : the whole head, taking in the eyes, 

 is black ; this descends on the back part lower 

 than the nape, from whence it passes forwards in a 

 narrow collar to the throat : the cliin, throat, and 

 sides of the neck, except where this collar passes, 

 are white; and over the eyes is a white streak like 

 an eye-brow : the upper parts of the body are 

 olive-brown, the quills darkest, and some of the 

 wing-coverts tipped with white : the under parts 

 yellowish rust-colour, growing whitish towards 

 the vent : the tail is longer than the body, and 

 cuneiform in shape ; the two middle feathers 

 black, the other white : the legs dusky." 



According to Dr. Forster's account, it is very 

 familiar, and will sit upon a person's shoulder, 

 and pick the flies off : it always flies with its tail 

 spread, and is continually on the wing in pursuit 

 of insects : it has no song, but only a sort of 

 chirp. It is called Diggo-wagh-wagh by the New 

 Zealanders. 



Dr. Latham mentions two varieties of this bird, 

 one of which is darker in colour, and has the two 

 middle tail-feathers of a sooty black, with white 

 shafts, the other margins and tips being whitish ; 

 the others have the inner webs deep black, the 

 shafts paler black, and the outer webs almost 

 wholly grey. The other variety has only the 



