i8 OUR MIGRANT BIRDS 



PIED FLYCATCHER (Muscicapa atricapilla). 



April to September. Much rarer and more local than 

 Spotted Flycatcher ; breeding sparingly in the southern 

 counties, but rather more frequently in the West, Wales, 

 and the North. 



Haunts. Gardens, orchards, &c. 



Plumage. Upper parts and tail black, greyer on rump 

 and browner on wings. Forehead, central wing-coverts, 

 and under parts, white. Bill and legs black. Length 

 5 in. Female : upper parts browner, and white sur- 

 faces washed with buff. Young spotted above with 

 buff, and below with dark brown. 



Language. A far better songster than the Spotted 

 Flycatcher, song reminding one in turn vaguely of the 

 Redstart's and Chaffinch's. Alarm-note, " chick." 



Habits. Closely resembles the Spotted Flycatcher. 



Food. Insects chiefly ; small beetles and worms ; 

 also soft fruits. 



Nest. May or June. One brood. 



Site. In hole in a tree or wall, &c. ; never in an 

 exposed situation like Spotted Flycatcher. 



Materials. Bents, rootlets, grass, leaves, and moss ; 

 lined with wool, feathers, and hair, loosely compacted. 



Eggs. Five to nine. Uniform very pale blue. Some- 

 times faintly speckled with reddish brown. 



SWALLOW (Hirundo rustica). 



April to October. Well distributed and common, 

 except in the extreme North. 

 Haunts. Country villages and farms. 

 Plumage. Forehead and chin chestnut-brown. 



