Page:The Fauna of British India, including Ceylon and Burma (Birds Vol 2).djvu/15



The intrinsic muscles of the syrinx fixed to the ends of the bronchial semi-rings; the edges of both mandibles smooth, the upper one simply notched; hinder aspect of tarsus smooth, composed of two entire longitudinal laminæ; wing with ten primaries; tongue non-tubular; nostrils clear of the line of forehead, the lower edge of the nostril nearer to the commissure than the upper edge is to the culmen; plumage of the nestling mottled or squamated; nostrils covered more or less by long curly hairs; rectrices twelve; tarsi short; an autumn moult only.

The Muscicapidæ, or Flycatchers, constitute a large family of birds, which is well represented in India. Some are resident; but the majority are migratory to a greater or less extent.

The Flycatchers may be known by the mottled plumage of the