28 The Red-Breasted Flycatcher 



follow it closely and catch it as soou as it reaches the ground." The Pied Fly- 

 catcher would probably do the latter every time. 



Familv-MUSCICAPID.-E. 



The Red-Breasted Flycatcher. 



Muscicapa parva, Bkchst. 



WITH respect to the distribution of this species, Seebohm informs us that 

 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 

 Ma3% and departing again in August or September. Its occurrence in Western 

 Europe is only accidental." " Loche, says that it is found in Algeria, where it 

 may be a rare winter visitor. It passes through Trans3dvania, Turkey, Greece, 

 and Asia Minor on migration, and winters in Nubia." "It breeds in the Caucasus, 

 and winters in Persia." His further remarks tend to show that it passes through 

 Turkestan on migration, occurs in the Baikal district, has been obtained in Kam- 

 schatka, and winters in North India and South China. 



Up to the date of the publication of Vol. I. of Seebohm's " History of British 

 Birds" in 1883, four examples had been shot, and a fifth seen in Great Britain; 

 the first specimen, a female, was killed near Falmouth, on January' 24th, 1863; the 

 second and third were shot, or caught on Trescoe, in the ScilW Isles, in October 

 of the same year; aud a fourth was shot on the 5th November, 1865. On October 

 the 5th, of 1883, too late to be included by Seebohm, a male was shot at Berwick- 

 on-Tweed, and on October 23rd, 1887, a young bird was picked up on Arklow 

 (South) light-ship, near Wexford : since that time other specimens have been 

 obtained: the specimens recorded up to the end of 1890, being thus summed up 

 by Mr. J. H. Guruey ("Zoologist," 1891, p. 136); — "On September 13th, a female 

 Red-breasted Fly-catcher, Muscicapa parva, Bechsteiu, was shot at Cley by Mr. 

 Ogilvie, the eighth on record, Cornwall being accredited with four, Ireland one. 



