134 BRITISH BIRDS. 



from water, but was much surprised this year to find a pair 

 breeding in a sandstone cHff by the side of a high road in the 

 Ashburne district, Derbyshire. A tiny rivulet with low 

 banks crosses the road 135 yards away, but the nearest 

 stream of any size is about a quarter of a mile distant across 

 the fields, and the parent birds resorted regularly to it for 

 food, occasionally picking up flies from the road and flying 

 up with them to the nest. In spite of the exposed position 

 of the nest, the young were hatched off safely. 



F. C. R. JOURDAIN. 



PIED FLYCATCHERS BREEDING IN DEVONSHIRE. 



As the fact is not generally known, and I know of no publi- 

 cation recording the actual breeding of Pied Flycatchers 

 {Muscicapa atricapilla) in Devonshire, it must be of interest to 

 record its nesting in the Culmstock district. In the beginning 

 of July, 1911, I saw two lots of Pied Flycatchers — five in one 

 lot and four in the other (two and three young respectively) 

 — and I have no doubt they were locally bred. The last nest 

 I actually found was in 1907, situated in a hole in an old 

 cob- wall, forming part of the outbuildings of a farm, about 

 one mile from the Somerset border. It was within 100 yards 

 of this spot that I saw the five birds this year. My brother 

 informs me that he also found a nest in the same cob-wall 

 a few years ago. 



The Pied Flycatcher used also to breed regularly in the 

 Tiverton district. First one pair, and afterwards for some 

 years two pairs, were found breeding. This 3^ear it has bred 

 close to Templeton Rectory, about five miles from Tiverton ; 

 I am informed by the Rev. J. Fowler that both it and the 

 Spotted Flycatcher have done so for some years. 



Pied Flycatchers are very interesting birds to watch, as 

 they become very quickly accustomed to one's presence 

 near the nest, and will feed their young within a few feet of 

 the watcher. They are also very methodical in their actions, 

 first feeding the young, then coming to the edge of the nesting- 

 hole for a second or two, when they re-enter and remove any 

 excrement there may be in the nest. The cock bird is also 

 quite one of the sharpest of birds, both in sighting an enem}^ 

 and afterwards in persistently following him up, and letting 

 other birds know of the danger. I have seen one follow up 

 a cat over both open ground and wood for more than 300 

 yards from the nest, giving the angry alarm-note the whole 

 way. Amongst the food taken by these birds I have noticed 

 *' daddy-long-legs" {Tipula) and butterflies. The small pearl- 



