THE NIGHTINGALE 



Another of our rarer birds here claims a passing notice, 

 and that is the charming little Pied Flycatcher (Muscicapa 

 atricapilla). It is one of the rarest and the most local of our 

 summer birds of passage. Unlike its well-known congener, 

 the Spotted Flycatcher, the present species is an early migrant, 

 and returns to its old haunts by the end of April. I have 

 had many opportunities of studying the habits of this inter- 

 esting bird, both in North Africa, where it is specially 

 common, and in the wooded hill districts of Yorkshire. In 

 the former country I met with it both in the oases of the 

 Sahara, as well as in the Arab gardens high up the solitudes 

 of the Aures Mountains. In England it loves the birch 

 coppices near the mountain streams, especially where old and 

 decaying timber is abundant ; and in all situations its con- 

 spicuous dress of black and white make its identification easy. 

 Its habits are similar to those of its ally. It sits on the 

 branches waiting for the insects to pass, and then flutters into 

 the air to catch them, returning to the old favourite perch. 

 It is by no means shy, but w T ary and restless enough. Un- 

 like the Spotted Flycatcher, which sings but rarely, the 

 present species is a fairly good musician and warbles inces- 

 santly, especially in early summer. I am of opinion that it 

 pairs for life, as every year the same nesting-place is fre- 

 quented. It breeds in holes of trees and rocks, precisely like 

 the Eedstart, making a nest of dry grass, moss, wool, hair, 

 and feathers, in which it lays six or eight eggs. They are 

 pale blue, devoid of markings, and closely resemble those of 

 the Eedstart. Only one brood is reared in the year, and 

 young and old usually keep together and migrate in company. 

 In Africa this species is constantly to be seen in company 

 with the Spotted Flycatcher, but in Great Britain the haunts 

 of the two species are considerably different one bird loving 

 the wilderness, the other cultivated localities and the habita- 

 tion of man. 



