Muscicapidae

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. A family of Old World oscine passerine birds, typified by the restricted genus Muscicapa; the flycatchers. They are cichlomorphic turdiform or thrush-like Passeres, normally with 10 primaries, 12 rectrices, scutellate tarsi, and a grypanian bill of a flattened form, broad at the base, with a ridged culmen and long rictal vibrissæ. Their characteristic habit is to capture insects on the wing. None are American, though many American fly-catching birds of the setophagine division of Sylvicolidæ and of the clamatorial family Tyrannidæ have been included in Muscicapidæ. Upward of 60 genera and nearly 400 species are placed in this family in its most restricted sense.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. A natural family of Old World (true) flycatchers.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. Old World (true) flycatchers