Flycatchers. 133 



This Flycatcher is an excellent study for a 

 young ornithologist. He is easily seen, perching 

 almost always on a leafless bough or railing, 

 whence he may have a clear view, and be able 

 to pick and choose his flies ; and he will let you 

 come quite close, without losing his presence of 

 mind. His attitude is so unique, that I can dis- 

 tinguish his tiny form at the whole length of the 

 orchard ; he sits quietly, silently, with just a shade 

 of tristesse about him, the tail slightly drooped 

 and still, the head, with longish narrow bill, bent 

 a little downwards, for his prey is almost always 

 below him ; suddenly this expectant repose is 

 changed into quick and airy action, the little 

 wings hover here and there so quickly that you 

 cannot follow them, the fly is caught, and he 

 returns with it in his bill to his perch, to await 

 a safe moment for carrying it to its young. All 

 this is done so unobtrusively by a little grayish- 

 brown bird with grayish-white breast, that hun- 

 dreds of his human neighbours never know of 

 his existence in their gardens. He is wholly 

 unlike his handsomer and livelier namesake, the 

 Pied Flycatcher, in all those outward character- 



