192 EGGS OF BKITISH BIRDS. 



rather less numerous in Scotland and in the Channel Islands. 

 Throughout the European Continent and the islands of the 

 Mediterranean it is a very common bird, and, for the most part, 

 a regular summer migrant. 



A very handsome nest of the Spotted Flycatcher in my collec- 

 tion is somewhat larger than usual, and resembles certain nests 

 of the Robin. The lining contains no feathers, but is completely 

 composed of fine dry grass and a few hairs. It is deeply cup- 

 shaped, and the frontage to the nest is broad. Externally it is 

 chiefly composed of moss, long stems of water-plants, grass-blades, 

 and leaves of herbage — now dry and withered, but evidently 

 gathered in a green state. Here and there may be seen parts of 

 dead leaves, almost skeletonized, and a few scraps of green lichens. 

 Nests of this bird are sometimes composed largely of sticks and 

 fibrous roots, and then they are usually warmly lined with wool 

 and feathers. 



The eggs of the Spotted Flycatcher vary in number from four 

 to six, and range from bluish-white to pea-green in ground-colour, 

 blotched, spotted, and clouded with various shades of reddish- 

 brown. Some eggs are so richly covered with spots as to hide 

 the ground-colour, and resemble very closely certain varieties of 

 Robin's eggs ; others have the markings confined to a zone round 

 the larger end ; while many are more evenly marked and singularly 

 clouded with a faint roseate tinge, which adds considerably to 

 their beauty, but which soon fades after they are blown. They 

 vary in length from 0'8 to - 7 inch, and in breadth from - G2 to 

 0-52 inch. 



THE PIED FLYCATCHER. 

 (Muscicapa atricapilla.)* 



Plate 52, Fig. 2. 



Although the Pied Flycatcher breeds in some districts in North 

 Wales and the English counties on the Welsh border, its chief 

 summer haunt appears to be from South-west Yorkshire, ex- 

 tending northwards to the Lake districts of England and the 

 eastern and midland counties of Scotland from Berwickshire to 

 Caithness. On the Continent it is common in Scandinavia during 



* Ficcdula atricapilla — Sharpe, Handb., I., p. 323, 



