78 THE SPOTTED FLYCATCHER 
more than compensated by the confidence they repose in the inno- 
cent intentions of the human beings whose protection they claim, 
by their strong local attachments, and by their unceasing activity 
in the pursuit of flying insects. At any time during the months of 
June, July, and August, in most country and suburban gardens, 
one may observe perched on a railing, standard rose, or the low 
branch of an apple-tree, a small brownish bird, with a speckled 
breast, about the size of a Sparrow, but more slender in form, taking 
no notice of human beings, but nevertheless evidently on the look- 
out for something. Suddenly it darts from its position, flies rapidly 
forwards for a few yards, performs an evolution in the air, and 
returns either to the exact spot which it had previously occupied 
or to a Similar one hard by. After a rest of a few seconds, it per- 
forms the same manceuvre, and always with the same object and 
success, Every time it quitted its perch, some ill-fated fly or beetle 
was discovered, winging its way through the air, and captured to 
be devoured on the spot, or to form part of a pellet of insect food for 
a hungry nestling. Thenest, composed of moss, straws, and hair, and 
lined with feathers, is usually placed either against a wall, hidden 
by the leaves of a trained fruit-tree, or on the horizontal bough of 
astandard apple-tree. During the year 1859, a pair of these birds 
had taken up their quarters in my own garden in a situation such 
as that first described, but becoming dissatisfied with the locality 
even after the nest had received its complement of eggs—five— 
deserted it, and built another nest in an apple-tree a few yards off, 
choosing a position on a short branch, where their workmanship 
was concealed from the sight of passengers by a cluster of large 
apples. The bough overhung a path by which many persons passed 
to and fro every day; but the nest was built, and the old birds 
hatched their eggs, neither noticed nor noticing, until one day when 
I happened to stop underneath, upon which the bird took flight, 
and so revealed her place of retreat. I do not mention this incident 
as anything remarkable, but simply to exemplify the habits of the 
bird when it has taken up its residence in a frequented garden, 
and in contrast with its treatment of intruders when it has chosen 
a more secluded spot for a home. A few days after, I happened 
to be fly-fishing on the bank of a stream close to which grew some 
tall elm-trees. Under one of these I was pursuing my amusement, 
when a flycatcher darted from a tree on the opposite side of the 
stream, and flew so close to my face that to dip my head out of the 
way was unavoidable. Thesame movement was repeated again and 
again, making it impossible for me to persist. Suspecting that 
there was a nest somewhere very near me, I looked up and dis- 
covered, within a few inches of my head, a nest built against the 
bole of the tree, and containing four or five nearly fledged young 
ones, whose heads and breasts projected considerably beyond the 
edge of their mossy cradle. As I moved away, the parent bird 
