EGGS OF BRITISH BIRDS. 193 



summer ; but in Russia it is not found so far north, ranging in the 

 Ural Mountains only to lat. 57°. 



The Pied Flycatcher's nest is always placed in a covered site, 

 which varies but little in its situation. It is built in the holes of 

 birch and other trees, sometimes in a deserted Woodpecker's hole, 

 or a crevice of a wall or rock, at various heights from the ground, 

 sometimes but a few feet, at others far up the trunks. In these 

 holes a slight nest is formed of dry grasses, dead leaves, moss and 

 feathers, sometimes a little wool or a few horse and cows' hairs. 



Few of our British eggs are more beautiful in colour than those 

 of the Pied Flycatcher. They are of a delicate pale blue, some- 

 times almost approaching white, perfectly spotless, somewhat frail 

 in texture, and slightly smaller than those of the Hedge Accentor. 

 In number they vary from five to eight, the latter number, how- 

 ever, being somewhat exceptional ; and but one brood is, as a 

 rule, reared in the year. The eggs vary in length from 0"8 to 

 065 inch, and in breadth from 0'58 to 0'52 inch. 



THE RED-BREASTED FLYCATCHER, 

 (Muscicapa parva.)* 



Plate 52. Fig. 3. 



This pretty little Flycatcher is fairly entitled to a place in the 

 British avifauna, three examples having been obtained. Upon 

 the European Continent the range of the Red-breasted Flycatcher 

 is somewhat restricted. It breeds in Germany, Austria and South 

 Russia as far north as the Baltic provinces, arriving during the 

 latter end of April or early in May, and departing again in August 

 or September. 



The nest is built in the hollow of a tree-trunk or against the 

 stem. It is a very handsome little structure, almost entirely 

 formed of green moss, with here and there a few scraps of lichen 

 and a downy feather or two. The inside is sparingly lined with 

 line dry grass and hairs. The nest-cavity measures about two 

 inches in diameter and one and a half inch in depth. 



Many of the eggs of this bird very closely resemble Robin's 

 eggs in colour, others as closely the eggs of the Spotted Fly- 

 catcher. They are the palest of bluish-green in ground-colour, 



* Siphia parva — Sharpe, Handb. I., p. 325. 



