358 THE PIED FLYCATCHER 



sheltered from observation hy a tliick bush and the trunk of an ivy-covered tree, and 

 could even see the colour of tlie bright glancing eyes, and note the self-satisfied ruffle of 

 her feathers wlienever she had made a stroke -to her satisfaction. 



The e<Tgs of the Spotted Flycatcher are four or five in number, and their colour is a 

 very pale bluish white, spotted with ruddy speckles. As the nest is made at so late 

 a period of the year, being but just begun when some birds have hatched their first brood, 

 there is not often more than a single family in the course of the season. Sometimes, how- 

 ever, it has been known to hatch and rear a second brood in safety. The young are 

 seldom hatched until the tenth or twelfth of June, and they seem to foUow their parents 

 longer than is the case with most birds. 



The food of the Spotted Flycatcher is almost, if not exclusively, composed of insects, 

 mostly flies and other winged members of tTie insect world. It seldom descends to the 

 ground for the purpose of procuring its prey, nor does it seem to pick caterpillars ofi' the 

 leaves and branches, but, standing on some chosen perch, it darts at the passing insects, 

 and returns to the same spot. Fruit seems to form no part of the Flycatcher's food, 

 although it has often been observed on the fruit-trees, having in all probability been 

 attracted to the tree by the many winged insects which feed on fruit. 



The general colour of the Spotted Flycatcher is a delicate brown on the upper parts of 

 the body, the quill-feathers of the wings and tail being, as is usually the case, of a blacker 

 hue than the featliers of the back. There are a few dark sj)ots on the top of the head, 

 and the tertial feathers of the wings are edged with light brown. The breast is wdiite, 

 with a patch of very light dull brown across its upper portion, and both the chin and 

 breast are marked with dark brown longitudinal streaks. Upon the sides and flanks, the 

 dull white deepens into a yellowish lirown. The total length of tliis bird is aliout five 

 inches and a half. When young, the plumage is largely spotted with butt' and brown of 

 different tints. This species has no song, but only a few low twittering notes. 



The other species of British Flycatchers is much more rare than the Ijird just 

 descrilied, and may easily be distinguished from it by the peculiarity of plumage, from 

 which it derives its popular title. The Pied FlyC'ATCHER has been observed in most parts 

 of England, but seems to be of very rare occurrence, except in the counties of Cundier- 

 land and Westmoreland, where it is found in the vicinity of tlie lakes. There are many 

 other localities where it has also been seen, but to enumerate them would be a needless task. 

 It is known to be a frequenter of many parts of Europe, even visiting Norway and 

 Sweden in the summer months, while on the coasts of the Mediterranean it is very 

 plentiful. It is a migratory bird, generally arriving in England aljout the middle of April, 

 and leaving us for a warmer climate in September. 



The habits of this bird, its mode of flight, and fly-devouring propensities, closely 

 resemble those of the preceding species, from which, however, it difters greatly in the 

 locality of its nest, and the number of the eggs. Instead of placing a simply constructed 

 nest upon a branch or other convenient spot, the Pied Flycatcher always chooses a hollow 

 in some decaying tree for its home, and there deposits no less than seven or eight eggs. 



In one instance, noticed by Mr. Yarrell, the eggs were disposed in a very curious 

 manner. " In the season of 1830, a pair had a nest in the identical hole wliere this 

 species had bred for four successive years. On the Kjth of ^lay, this nest contained ei^lit 

 eggs, arranged in the following manner : one lay at the bottom, and the remainder were 

 all severally placed perpendicularly round the sides of the nest with the smaller end 

 resting upon it, the effect of which was exceedingly beautiful." The author of this well- 

 observed note further remarks that the eggs from different nests are found to vr.ry greatly 

 in size. The nest itself is made of dried leaves, moss, and hair, and is rather loosely built, 

 and the young make their appearance about the middU' of June. 



Tlie colouring of this bird is as follows : In the adult male, the top of the head, back 

 of the neck, liack and wings are dark blackish brown, with the exception of a white 

 patch upon the forehead, and a broad stripe of wliite on the tertiary and greater wing- 

 coverts. The tail is black except some bold white nuirks on some of the outer featliers, 

 and the whole of the under surface is pure white. The female is of a delicate brown on 



