174 OUTDOOR LIFE IN ENGLAND 



ever, too rare to claim notice here, and the pied is 

 by no means common. Its manner of procuring 

 its food is similar to that of the spotted flycatcher, 

 but it prefers to make its home away from houses, 

 and is very local in its choice of habitations. 

 Dixon speaks of it as being common in the 

 wooded hill-districts of Yorkshire, and loving the 

 birch-copses near mountain streams, especially 

 where old and decaying timber is abundant. Of 

 its vocal powers he says : * Unlike the spotted 

 flycatcher, which sings but rarely, the pied fly- 

 catcher is a fairly good musician, and warbles 

 incessantly, especially in early summer.' The two 

 birds vary in size, the length of the spotted 

 flycatcher being five inches and a half, that of 

 the pied half an inch less. The plumage of the 

 latter is thus described by Colonel Irby : * Above 

 black, except white forehead and white wing- 

 bar . . . under parts white ; the tail also black, 

 except the lower part of the outer web of the 

 three outer feathers on each side, which is 

 white.' This description should suffice for the 

 ready identification of this bird, especially when 

 its habit of always returning to the same spot 

 after each raid upon the flies is remembered. 

 All three varieties of the flycatcher are migra- 

 tory. 



Everyone is acquainted with one or more 

 of the six varieties of wagtails which visit us 

 annually, and which are comprised in the following 

 list : 



