flycatcher

plural flycatchers

1. Any of many kinds of birds of the family Muscicapidae, of Africa, Europe, and Asia, that catch insects in flight; an Old World flycatcher.
2. Any of many kinds of similar birds of various families, such as Tyrannidae (the New World flycatchers of the Americas), Tityridae, Stenostiridae, Monarchidae, Petroicidae, etc.
3. A device for catching flies.

   He has a patent revolving fly-catcher on the counter.

   1889 January 26, The Queensland Figaro and Punch, Brisbane, page 3, column 3

   3 more examples

   Stewart appeared anxious to get all information in connection with a fly-catcher on the counter.

   1883 January 20, The Williamstown Advertiser, Victoria, page 2, column 1

   The flies worried me when I was writing the other day. I put up a vampire flycatcher on my desk. One stuck to it, and I watched it struggling.

   1904 March 4, The Australian Christian Commonwealth, SA, page 7, column 2

   A flycatcher, one of the sticky sort you pull out of a cylinder, will keep safes and cupboards free from ants.

   1940 August 13, The Southern Mail, Bowral, NSW, page 4, column 5