Peixliimr Birds. 



85 



THE PIED 

 FLYCATCHER. 



(Ficedula ntricapilla.] 



The nest is an artless structure of dry grass with a Uning of horse-hair, but it is 

 skilfully decorated outside with cobwebs and lichens so as to assimilate to the 

 surroundings of the bark of the tree, in a crevice of which it is generally placed, but, 

 like the Robin, the Flycatcher is a confiding bird, and often builds its nest on the 

 trellis-work against a house or conservatory. The eggs are from four to si.\ in 

 number, and are buffy-white or greenish-white, spotted and blotched with reddish- 

 brown, with grey underl3'ing markings. 



One great difference which separates the present species 



from the common Flycatcher is the contrast in the colour of 



the sexes, the male being black, with the under-surface white, 



a white patch on the wing, and the outer tail-feathers 

 also white for the most part. The female is brown with the tips of the greater 

 wing-coverts white, the upper tail-coverts and tail black, excepting the outer feathers, 

 which are, to a great extent, white ; the sides of the face and under parts are pale 

 ochreous brown, shading off into white on the abdomen and under tail-coverts. 



The breeding-range of the Pied Flycatcher extends throughout Europe, and it 

 breeds up to 69° in Scandinavia. To Great Britain it is a visitor in summer, and 

 is decidedly local, nesting in the northern counties of England and Wales, as well as 

 in Scotland. In Norway it builds its nest under the eaves of the farm-houses, and 

 in the boxes which are often put up for its accommodation ; at other times 

 it nests in the hole of a tree or wall. It resembles our Common Flycatcher in 

 general habits, but in some respects reminds one of a Chat in its ways ; like the 

 last-named species it feeds principally on flies and other small insects, but also 

 devours berries in the autumn. The nest has no pretensions to architecture and is 

 composed of grass and leaves with a little moss and a few feathers. The eggs are 

 quite different from the red-spotted ones of the majority of Flycatchers, being of a 

 pale blue colour and varying from four to eight in number. They are smaller than 

 those of the Hedge-Sparrow and more brittle, while the position of the nest should 

 always render any doubt as to the authenticity 

 of the eggs of the two species impossible. 



This is a little bird, 



not unlike a Robin in 



appearance, as it has a 



red breast, bordered from 



the forehead down the 

 sides of the neck with light bluish grey. It 

 can, however, be easily recognised by its ashy- 

 brown colour and blackish tail-feathers, which 

 have the basal two-thirds u'liite. The female 

 is browner than the male, and does not show 

 the grey on the forehead or sides of the neck, Thk Red-Bkkastkd Flycatcher. 



THE 



RED-BREASTED 



FLYCATCHER. 



{Sipliia parva.) 



