MUSICAPA LUCTUOSA. 235 



but the inside of the nest was complete, and lined with hairs. 

 One of the hairs which I measured was 26 J inches long, and 

 had once adorned the tail of a horse. I carefully inspected the 

 nest and the young bird, and got my obliging young friend to 

 replace the nest with the young bird in it, as it could not fly, 

 and the others might return. The colour of the young birds 

 was much lighter than the old ones, and much more spotted over 

 the whole body, head and all ; and as they clustered on the 

 stump of the branch of that beech tree they also were so like 

 the colour of the tree they could hardly be observed until quite 

 close to them. 



Having walked from St Andrews to Gilston, I intended to 

 walk back again, but scribbling in my note-book, I took a 

 wrong turn in the road, and suddenly found myself looking over 

 the Firth of Forth, with the Bass Rock looming in the distance. 

 So I had to retrace my steps and trudge back the way I came, 

 reaching home very tired indeed — long past the wee short hour 

 ayont the twal — partly through those fly-catchers, thinking on 

 birds, and searching for birds' nests. 



On the 29th of August 1887, a fine specimen (which I have 

 stuffed) was caught in one of our fishing boats about sixty miles 

 to the east of the Bell Rock. It had likely been driven out to 

 sea by a gale. They leave us about the end of September, like 

 the swallows — the scarcity of insects no doubt regulating their 

 departure ; and yet to-day, the 30th September — a cold, wet, 

 rainy day, at gloaming, when fair, and the street lamps lighted, 

 I saw a lot of wee midges in the garden, dancing up and down 

 — like the witches in old Alloway Kirk — enjoying themselves. 

 These must be hardy insects, as I have seen them sporting in 

 the dead of winter. 



The Pied Fly-Catcher. 



(Muscicapa Luctuosa.) Temn. 



This is the only other fly-catcher that visits Britain ; I never 

 saw it about St Andrews. It is smaller than the other — to end 

 of tail, 5 J inches ; and 8 inches in extent of wings. The 

 general colour of the upper parts is greyish black, darker than 



