MUSCICAPID^—FL YCA TCHERS. 



107 



week of January, 1850, and Mr. H. Barclay others at Walthamstow. Mr 

 Chas. E. Smith of Coggeshall records one (31. 52) near that place "shot from 

 among a flock of Starlings, 1851." Mr. English includes it as a "casual visitor" 

 in his Epping List (43. i. 23), One was shot at Willingale about 1858, and 

 another more recently (Scruby). Ed. Newman records one (34. 560) near 

 Ongar on November 28th, 1866, and another two days later at Loughton. Dr. 

 Laver remembers seeing some that were shot at Abberton about 1878. One was 

 seen alone in a garden at Dovercourt on December 13th, 1882 (Kerry, 40. vii- 

 120). Mr. Travis records (44. iv. xii.) a male shot at Chrishall on January 

 17th, 1883, and a female shot about the same time at Sampford. " E. C." 

 records (29. Jan. 20) that while walking round Wanstead Park on January 14th, 

 1883, he watched three for several minutes. He adds, " It is fourteen years 

 since a pair of these birds were killed near Chigwell." About the same time, two 

 males and a female, all shot in Essex, were sent to Mr. Travis of Walden for 

 preservation. One is recorded (^Chelmsford Chronicle, Mar. 30) as having been 

 shot at Dedham by Mr. B. Watson, jun., about the third week in March, 1S83, 

 another being seen about at the same time. The Rev. P. A. Leaky of Sudbury 

 possesses a fine specimen shot in Essex. Mr. T. VV. Offin shot one at Rayleigh 

 about ten years ago. Mr. Charles Smoothy observed one on several occasions at 

 Danbury in January of the present year. 



Family MUSCICAPID^. 



Pied Flycatcher : Muscicapa atricapilla. 



An uncommon passing migrant in spring and autumn, when on 

 its way to and from its breeding localities in the North of England 

 and in Scotland. Its usual 

 dates of appearance in the 

 county seem to be early in 

 May and early in Septem- 

 ber. It has once been 

 known to breed in the 

 county, and it has done so 

 exceptionally in several 

 other southern counties. 



The Rev. R. Sheppard ob- 

 served it occasionally at Wrab- 

 ness, as he notes its arrival there 

 (17)1 on May i6th and April i'ied flycatcher, male, Yz 



29th, in 1822 and 1823 respectively. Mr. Joseph Clarke notes (24) the occurrence 

 of a male at Audley End in or about 1826. At Stoke Nayland, in Suffolk, just 

 beyond the Essex border, J. D. Hoy records (12. iii. 436) that several were seen 

 on May ist, 1830. He also records (12. vi. 151) that one was shot at Stoke Nay- 

 land on the 7th of September, 1832. "It was in company with several of the 

 spotted species. I know several instances of its having been met with in the same 

 vicinity, both spring and autumn, but never heard of its remaining to breed." 



Henry Doubleday ^says (10) one was seen at Epping in August, 1835, and in 



