CATALOGUE OF BIRDS. 1 29 



winter weather, and, therefore, of this little bird. 

 You observe that he is singing", which he probably 

 likes doing in bright frosty weather better than on a 

 hot summer's day. 



CASE 24. 



THE PIED FLYCATCHER. 

 Order, Passeres. Family, Muscicapidce. 



This is a far rarer bird than the Spotted Fly- 

 catcher, being migratory and non-resident, and 

 arrives earlier than its cong-ener. 



Its distribution is very local. Broadly speaking, 

 it is found in the northern counties of England, 

 Wales, and the south of Scotland. Mr. R. Kearton 

 knew of a ruin in Yorkshire where this species 

 nested within a few yards of the Redstart. 



The leading naturalist of Barmouth district — 

 Mr. Haines — who has a very fine collection of eggs, 

 and is, in fact, the authority on all matters ornitho- 

 logical, with whom I had several pleasant discussions, 

 assured me that the Pied Flycatcher was quite 

 common in that locality. 



The specimens in the case were, like the Spotted 

 Flycatcher, obtained in county Merionethshire. 

 From what I saw in my peregrinations in that part 

 of North Wales, I |am able to endorse the opinion 

 of the leading naturalist in that district, viz., that 

 this particular species is fairly plentiful. I have 



