Birds of Celebes: Muscicapidae. 
391 
Pratincola caprata (1) "Wald., Tr. Z. S. 1872, VIII, 63; (2) Salvad., Ucc. Borneo 1874, 
252; (3) Wald., Tr. Z. S. 1875, IX, 193; (4) Cab. & Bchw., J. f. 0. 1876, 319; 
(5) Salvad., P. Z. S. 1877, 194; (6) Tweedd., P. Z. S. 1877, 696, 761; 1878,710; 
(7) Sharpe, Cat. B. IV, 1879, 195; (8) Legge, B. Ceylon 1880, 431; (9) Salvad., 
Orn. Pap. PE, 1881, 420; (10) Scully, Ibis 1881, 440; (10^^^) W. Rams., Tweedd. 
Orn. Works 1881, App. 657; (11) Vorderm., X. Tdschr. Xed. Ind. 1882, XLII, 65; 
(12) Davison, Str. P. X, 1882, 307; 1889, 389; (13) W. Bias., Verb. z.-b. Ges. 
Wien 1883, 75; (13^‘^) Oates, B. Br. Burmah 1883, I, 281; (14) Marshall, Ibis 
1884, 415; (15) C. Swinh. & Barnes, Ibis 1885, 124; (16) W. Bias., Ztscbr. ges. 
Orn. 1885, 277; (17) Ouillem., P. Z. S. 1885, 506; (18) Dresser, Ibis 1889, 86; 
(20) St.John, t. c. 163; (21) Radde & Walter, Ornis 1889, 61, 168, 172, 221, 
256, 259, 266; (22) Tristr., Cat, Coll. B. 1889, 143; (23) Dresser, Ibis 1890, 342; 
(24) Oates, Paun. Brit. Ind. B. II, 1890, 59; (25) id., ed. Hume’s Xests & Eggs 
Ind. B. n, 1890, 41; (26) Steere, List Coll. B. & M. Phibpp. Is. 1890, 16; (27) 
Biittik., Xotes Leyden Mus. 1891, XIH, 211; (28) Hartert, Kat. Mus. Senckenb. 
Yog. 1891, 3; (29) id., J. f. 0. 1891, 201; (30) Biittik., Xotes Leyd. Mus. 1892, 
197; (31) id., Zook Erg. Weber’s Reise Ost-Ind, 1893, HI, 277, 293; (32) Grant, 
Ibis 1894, 505; (33) Bourns & Worces., B. Menage Exp. 1894, 39; (XXXIV) 
Dresser, B. Eur. SuppL I, 1895, 33, pi. OJl; (35) Grant, Ibis 1895, 441; (36) 
M. & Wg., Abb. Mus. Dresd. 1896, Xr. 1, p. 12; (37) Hart., Xov. Zool. 1896, 150, 
166, 555, 580, 593; (38) id., ib. 1897, 155, 161. 
“Tjingan”, Tjamba Distr., Platen 16. 
For further synonymy and references see Sharpe 7. 
Figure and descriptions. Dresser XXXIV \ Sharpe 7, Vordermanii; Oates 75*” 24. 
Adult male. Black; wing-coverts nearest the body for about two-thirds across 
the wing, rump, upper and under tail-coverts and anal region white, 
“Iris brown; bill and feet black” (^, Tjamba Distr., S. Celebes, 30. IV. 78: Platen 
— C 5376). Wing 67 mm; tail 55; tarsus 22; bill from nostril 8. 
Female. Hair-brown, paler below, almost wood-brown on abdomen, lores, chin, and malar 
region; the middles of the feathers darker; lower rump, upper tail-coverts and 
under tail-coverts white, tinged with buff; tail black; wing-coverts blackish, with 
pale brown edges, some of the concealed inner greater and middle coverts mostly white; 
remiges brown, edged with wood-brown; under wing-coverts whitish brown; bill 
blackish; legs and feet black ($, Lake Posso, Centr. Cel., 15. H. 95: Sarasin Coll.). 
Young. Mottled all over like a young Robin: above fulvescent edged with darker brown; 
head blacldsh brown , streaked down the centre of the feathers with deep fulvous ; 
wing-coverts and quills edged with fawn-colour; under-parts fulvous, slightly 
varied with dark edges to the feathers of the breast (Sharpe 7). 
Eggs. Dr. Platen obtained eggs of this bird near Rurukan in the Minahassa, which are 
somewhat paler than those of our ruhicola. An egg in my collection collected by 
Oates in Pegu, 20. IV. 81, corresponds with them, is only a trifle smaller, but simi- 
larly coloured” (Xehrkorn MS.). 
Usually four in number, often three. Occasionally five. Rather broad ovals, some- 
Avhat |)ointed , delicate pale bluish green, speckled, mottled and streaked with brownish 
red, densest at the large end. They vary enormously in size, viz: 15.2 — 19.5 X 1L2 
— 16.3 mm; average (50 specimens) 17 X 14 mm (India, Hume 25). 
Nest. Usually a shallow, somewhat saucer-shaped pad, composed of soft grass, fine roots, 
and lined with the same, hairs or other soft material ; generally placed on the ground 
in a hole or impression (25). 
