PIED FLYCATCHER. 55 



constructing a nest in a hole in a decayed pollard ash 

 on the margin of the lake." It is still found breeding 

 in the same locality, near Hawkshead, but Mr. W. A. 

 Durnford has only seen it once in Furness, and that at 

 Dalton. In the Kibble valley it used to be found 

 abundantly in Lord Ribblesdale's woods at Gisburne, 

 just over the Yorkshire border, and Mr. W. Naylor 

 informs me that a nest and eggs were taken at Whalley 

 by Dr. Finder in 1852. Near Clitheroe Mr. W. Feterkin 

 has twice taken the nest, and the bird used to appear 

 regularly in the woods of Waddow, but Mr. James 

 Garnett has not seen one there since the 10th of May 

 1877. At Towneley, near Burnley, it used to breed 

 every year, frequenting the gardens and neighbourhood 

 of the brook ; and at Frenchwood, near Freston, Mr. 

 J. B. Hodgkinson says it was not uncommon some time 

 ago. Mr. Ft. Standen states that the eggs were taken 

 in June 1879, from a nest in an old bridge near Ingle- 

 white, the only occurrence he knows of ; and odd birds 

 at various times have been seen or shot at Filling, 

 St. Michael's-on-Wyre, and Chipping : one at the last- 

 named place in May 1882. Mr. Fi. J. Howard writes 

 me that on the 9th of May 1883, he had a capital view 

 of an adult male in Fiufford Wood, getting within four 

 or five yards of the bird, and was informed that there 

 were three or four pairs breeding annually in the neigh- 

 bourhood. A specimen was shot near Bury in June 

 1871, according to Mr. R. Davenport, and Mr. John 

 Hardy says that it occurs in Trafford Fark, near Man- 

 chester, as a regular summer visitant, and no doubt 

 breeds there, although he has never seen the nest. If 

 the hand of the collector and the amateur gunner could 

 only be held for a while, I feel sure that the range of 

 this pretty species would soon be largely increased. 



