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180 BIRDS OP TUNISIA 



A regular summer migrant, the Pied Flycatcher is of common 

 occurrence in Tunisia during the spring months, and many pairs 

 remain and breed in the Regency, particularly in districts north of 

 the Atlas. Probably a certain number also nest south of those 

 mountains, as they appear to do in South Marocco, whence I have 

 examples obtained during the month of May. 



In its habits, as well as in the localities it frequents, the Pied 

 Flycatcher differs somewhat from M. grisola, being rather more shy, 

 and far less often found in the neighbourhood of human dwellings. 

 High leafy woods are much resorted to, as well as the lower growing 

 olive plantations. The species also seems fond of water, and may 

 frequently be met with in its vicinity, the banks of streams and 

 lake-sides being among its favourite haunts. Like its congeners, the 

 present species feeds upon flies and other small insects, and may 

 constantly be observed busily engaged in their pursuit. A favourite 

 resort of the bird when on the look-out for food is a bare bough or 

 projecting branch, where it will remain motionless for a considerable 

 length of time, with drooping wings, as if asleep, every now and then 

 suddenly darting off in pursuit of some insect, and then returning to 

 its post. Although an adept at capturing insects on the wing, the 

 bird often takes its prey on the ground, indeed, according to Mr. 

 Aplin, it takes most of its food on the ground. 



M. atricapilla generally nests in the holes of trees, often using the 

 deserted habitation of some other bird. The eggs are four to six in 

 number, and are generally of a delicate bluish-white, sparsely spotted 

 with russet-brown. Average measurements 16 X 13 mm. 



The Pied Flycatcher found in Algeria and Tunisia is by some 

 ornithologists considered distinct from typical M. atricapilla, Linn., 

 from Europe, and has been separated under the name of 71/. 

 speculigera, de Selys, the grounds for such separation being that the 

 frontal white patch is much larger in Algerian and Tunisian specimens, 

 the coloration of the upper plumage more intense, and the white on 

 the wings more pronounced, than in M. atricapilla. 



Among the examples of this species in my Tunisian collection I 

 find considerable variation in the size of the white frontal patch. In 

 the adult male specimen described above the frontal patch measures 

 nearly half an inch in diameter ; in some specimens, probably less 

 adult, the patch is only about half that size, and in others, apparently 

 still younger, it is only about one quarter, till finally, in very immature 



