30 ThK RHD-BREASTKn Fl.VCA'rcilHR 



other Flycatchers, breediug iu beech-woods, aud only visiting gardens in their 

 vicinity. The song is said by Seebohm to be very nnobtrnsive and intermediate 

 between those of the Robin aud Redstart, and he describes the alarm-note as piuk, 

 p'nik, pink, something like the spi)ik of a Chaffinch ; probably Naumann's call-note 

 of this species is the same sound, and he expresses it '' fnid, fiiidr I, therefore, 

 have no doubt that the true rendering of the note would be '' plnvick"' or '' phivW ; 

 for no Chaffinch ever had a note the least bit like spink or puik, aud /, not d, is 

 one of the terminal sounds in bird-notes : Dr. A. Walter, according to Giitke, 

 describes the call as a rattling sound, but doubtless the latter would be a scolding 

 note. 



In its actions the Red-breasted Flycatcher resembles our other species, some- 

 times it pursues its prey in the air, but sometimes it picks them from the trunk 

 of a tree : in addition to insects it also eats small fruits. 



The nest is usually placed in a beech-tree, either in a cavity, in trunk, or 

 branch, or against the trunk, supported by outgrowing twigs ; in form it is a 

 somewhat deep cup, formed of moss, a few fragments of lichen, and a few soft 

 feathers ; the lining of fine bents and hairs. The number of the eggs varies from 

 five to seven, bluish-green, more or less mottled or speckled with rusty-brown, 

 sometime so densely as almost to conceal the ground-colour, and with greyish-brown 

 shell-markings : in character they are intermediate between those of the Spotted 

 Flycatcher and the Robin. 



This bird is said to be almost as pugnacious as a Robin ; therefore it would 

 be well to use caution in associating it with other species iu an aviary. As a 

 cage-bird it has been both kept and exhibited in Germany, and if reared from the 

 nest would doubtless be very tame and make a most attractive pet, feeding readily 

 on the usual soft food; Seebohm, however, states that "birds of this species in 

 confinement feed upon the common house-fly with great avidity, preferring it to 

 any artificial food." Doubtless this statement is correct, but it would be quite out 

 of the question to attempt to feed this, or any other bird upon flies alone. 



