150 SPOTTED FLYCATCHER. 



remain later ; and in Asia Minor it has even been obtained late in 

 November. 



The nest is frequently placed among creepers, or in a hole in a wall 

 or a tree; occasionally behind loose bark; often on a beam in an out- 

 building, whence the name of ' Beam-bird ' ; and sometimes in such 

 odd situations as the top of a door-hinge, the inside of a lamp or of 

 a stove, &c. The structure, which is rather neat and well assimilated 

 to its surroundings, is generally of moss and lichens, warmly lined 

 with wool, hair and feathers. The eggs, 4-6 in number, vary from 

 bluish-white to pale green in ground-colour, which is spotted and 

 clouded with rusty-brown : average measurements 75 by "55 in. 

 Incubation is said to devolve entirely upon the female, who is fed by 

 the male ; arid two broods are not unfrequently produced in the 

 season, the first being hatched by the middle of June. The Spotted 

 Flycatcher is one of the few species which still nest in some of our 

 London parks and gardens. Its food consists principally of insects, 

 and the bird may often be seen sitting on a fence or branch, whence 

 it darts upon some fly or gnat, returning with a graceful sweep to 

 the spot it has just quitted. It can even manage a tolerably large 

 moth, such as the yellow underwing ; and in the autumn, it has been 

 known to feed on berries, especially those of the mountain-ash, to 

 which so many species of birds are partial. The song is very faint 

 and low, and the call-note is a ztchick. 



The adult has the crown light brown, with dark streaks down the 

 centre of the feathers ; upper parts hair-brown, slightly darker on 

 the wings and tail, and paler on the margins of the wing-coverts and 

 secondaries ; chin and under parts dull white, with brown streaks 

 on the throat, breast and flanks ; bill dark brown ; legs and feet 

 blackish. The sexes are alike in plumage. Length 5'6in. ; wing 

 3 "3 in. The young are very much spotted; the feathers of the 

 upper parts have pale centres with broad dark margins, and the 

 wing- and tail-coverts are conspicuously tipped with buff, as are also 

 the secondaries. 



