166 MUSCICAPID.E. 



thers ; the second has the bottom and outside of fresh green 

 moss, lined with a few grass bents, long horse-hairs, and 

 several mottled feathers, apparently those of a Turkey ; the 

 third is similar to the last on the outside, but lined with long 

 horse-hairs, wool, and feathers. The labour and art be- 

 stowed by birds on the construction of their nests have long 

 been the theme of admiration ; but the state of vegetation at 

 the nest-building season of the year, and the care manifested 

 by birds generally in selecting a place of security, render it 

 difficult to obtain a sight of the nest-makers when at work. 

 From what has been observed, however, it is believed that 

 the female is generally the nest-builder ; the male collects 

 and brings to her the materials required : long stems of grass, 

 or long horse-hairs, are interwoven by the bird, fixing in one 

 end, and then traversing the edge of the nest, lays in the 

 remainder as she makes circle after circle. A female bird 

 has been seen going backward round the upper edge of the 

 nest, arranging the materials which formed the inner lining. 

 The eggs of the Spotted Flycatcher are four or five in num- 

 ber, about nine lines in length by seven lines in breadth ; the 

 ground colour white tinged with blue, and spotted with pale 

 red. White says, the female while sitting on the eggs is fed 

 by the male even as late as nine o^ clock at night. 



This bird has no power of voice beyond a chirping call 

 note. 



A curious circmmstance in reference to this bird has been 

 noticed by Thomas Andrew Knight, Esq. the President of 

 the Horticultural Society. A Flycatcher built in his stove 

 several successive years. He observed that the bird 

 quitted its eggs whenever the thermometer in the house was 

 above 12°, and resumed her place upon the nest again Avhen 

 the thermometer sunk below. According to Mr. Jenyns, 

 the young Flycatchers are hatched about the second week in 

 June : when able to leave the nest, they follow the parent 



