SPOTTED FLY-CATCHER. 161 



tioned to rne about a year ago, upon good authority. 

 One of these birds was remarked to fly several times, 

 with food in her mouth, into a hole in an old wall. The 

 curiosity of the person who observed it was excited to 

 ascertain the cause, as it was in the month of January, 

 and, consequently, at a time when the bird could not 

 have young. Ascending to the place with a ladder, he 

 found there a full-grown Sparrow, of the breed of the 

 preceding summer. It had been accidentally entangled 

 by one leg, in such a manner as to prevent its escape ; 

 and, thus fettered, the parent birds had not forsaken their 

 unfortunate offspring, but had continued to feed and sup- 

 port it, in its confinement, even for so many months 

 after the other individuals of the same brood had taken 

 flight. 



22. FLY-CATCHER TRIBE. 



All the birds of this tribe feed on insects, chiefly on 

 flies. The greater part of them are inhabitants of hot 

 climates. 



Spotted Fly-catcher. It is generally said, that the 

 Spotted Fly-catcher has no song; but this is not true, as 

 its warble is very pleasing, and somewhat betwixt the 

 notes of the wagtail and the golden-crested wren. This 

 is a bird of passage, appearing in the spring of the year, 

 and retiring about the month of September. It subsists 

 on insects, (which, like the swallow, it catches whilst on 

 wing,) and also on the soft and pulpy kinds of fruit. It 

 forms its nest sometimes in trees, sometimes in a vine or 

 sweet-briar, against the wall of a house, or on the end of 

 a beam, and constantly returns, year after year, to the 

 same place to breed. 



