Page:Natural History, Birds.djvu/114

Rh and killed her on the nest. The cock immediately deserted the place.

The present family seems to form the link by which the Dentirostres are connected with the Fissirostres. Like the latter, they possess a beak broad at the base, and flattened horizontally, the tip generally hooked, and the gape environed with bristles; like them, their feet are for the most part feeble, or at least not so much developed as the wings; and, like them, they feed upon winged insects, which they capture during flight. They are, however, much more sedentary in their habits; they do not pursue insects in the higher regions of the atmosphere, or wheel and course after them, as do the Swallows, but like the Todies (which have in fact often been placed in this family), they choose some prominent post of observation, where they sit and watch for vagrant insects that may pass within a short distance; on these they dart out upon the wing, but if unsuccessful at the first swoop, rarely pursue it more than a few yards; and if successful, snapping it up with the broad and bristled beak, they return to the very spot whence they sallied out, to eat it. The habit of selecting some particular twig, or the top of a post, or other spot, from which to watch and make their assaults, and to which they return after each essay, is very characteristic of these birds.

The Muscicapadæ comprise a vast number of