TITMICE AND THRUSHES. 89 
spot, returning to perch thereon after each of its fre- 
quent flights, and remaining constant to the same 
situation throughout its residence in the country. 
One pair of these birds which I often watched had 
selected the poles of a lawn-tennis net by way of 
watch-towers, and, unless the courts were actually in 
use, they might at any time be seen carrying on their 
unceasing pursuit of prey. 
The nest of this flycatcher is generally placed 
either against a wall—whence its builder is often 
known by the alternative title of Wall Bird—or else 
upon the horizontal branch of some sturdy fruit-tree; 
but it is not very fastidious in its choice of an abode, 
and will at times build in almost any situation which 
affords sufficient room for its purpose. More than 
once I have found the nest in a hole in a tree, or 
rather in the fissure left by a branch which had been 
torn down by the wind. ‘The eggs, which are four or 
five in number, are of a dull greyish-white colour, 
spotted rather thickly with brownish red, and some- 
what remind one of those of the robin. As a general 
rule, one batch of eggs only is laid, but now and then 
a second family is brought up in addition. 
Tue Pied Flycatcher, the only other British repre- 
sentative of the family, is a very much less plentiful 
species, and seems to be common nowhere save in 
parts of the lake district. It is a smaller bird than 
the preceding, from which it may be readily dis- 
tinguished by the pecuharity of colouring from which 
it takes its name. 
