130 CATALOGUE OF BIRDS. 



noticed two different kinds of nestinof-sites — one in 

 the hole of a tree, another in the crack of a wall, the 

 latter has been selected to represent this little family, 

 and Mr. Thorpe, of East Croydon, has done full 

 justice to the subject. The eggs of this species are 

 blue, of a pale greenish shade. Its food consists of 

 insects, which it often takes on the grround, instead of 

 catching them on the wing, as the Spotted Flycatcher 

 always does. 



This species' habitat abroad is more northern than 

 that of the Spotted Flycatcher. 



CASE 25. 



THE SPOTTED FLYCATCHER. 



Order, Passer es. Family, Muscicapidce. 



This species, exclusively migratory, is one of our 

 latest arrivals, not reachingr us much before the 

 middle of May, and departing again in September. 



It is very widely distributed over our islands. It 

 does not attract the attention much owing, probably, 

 to its sombre plumage, but whenever you see a little 

 bird with a hammer-shaped head, rather out of 

 proportion to the rest of its body, sitting on some post 

 or paling in a park or on the outskirts of a wood, 

 suddenly leave its perch, make two or three twisting 

 evolutions in the air in the capture of some gnat or 

 small fly, and return to the same spot — you may 

 easily recognise it as a Spotted Flycatcher. 



