FAIRY MARTIN 
221 
The cry of the Fairy Martin is a feeble twitter 
uttered on the wing; it has neither the sweetness 
nor the variety of the Welcome Swallow's notes. 
BROWN FLYCATCHER 
Microeca fascinans fascinans 
This plain-coloured little Flycatcher may be known 
by the outermost feathers on each side of the tail 
being white ; the bird is constantly moving its tail 
about from side to side as it sits on a fence-rail or 
stump, and the white side-lines are very prominent. 
The Australian Pipit or Ground-lark has a somewhat 
similar tail-colouration, but the habits of these two 
birds are so distinct that you could hardly mistake 
one for the other. 
It is a non-migratory and very local species, requiring 
as special conditions a moderately thick grow^th of 
wattle, honeysuckle, or ti-tree with open spaces 
and occasional large gum trees. That is to say, it is 
essentially a bird of the bush, not the dense wet forest 
of the Otways, but the drier country of medium 
growth. Especially is it fond of timber-clumps just 
bordering a plain or large clearing. 
The food of the Brown Flycatcher consists of 
insects which it takes in the air or from the ground ; 
darting from a post or stump to capture its prey, 
and returning thither before making a fresh sally. 
Its voice is heard oftenest in the spring, and is a 
