152 THE BIRDS OF YORKSHIRE. 



they having, presumably, fallen into the water in their efforts 

 to procure flies. Mr. Braim has obligingly presented me with 

 three of these specimens. 



The greatest arrival yet known took place from the 

 3rd to 6th May 1885, and was very pronounced at Spurn, 

 Flamborough, and Redcar (Seventh Migration Report, p. 43). 

 On the return passage in autumn they are reported at various 

 stations on the seaboard, from mid-August to the end of 

 September, and have been observed to alight on a vessel 

 at sea on passage from Sweden to Hull (Nat. 1893, p. 5). 



The individuals which occur on the East Coast during 

 the autumn immigration are invariably described as immature 

 birds. It is very likely that observers are mistaken in this 

 matter, as at this season the sexes, both mature and immature, 

 are hardly distinguishable. The late J. Hancock (" Birds 

 of North'd. and D'm." p. 79), pointed out the close resemblance 

 in plumage of the sexes in young and old birds. 



This species affects the tops of the highest trees as its 

 hunting quarters, while its nesting holes are not far above 

 the ground. Like its congener, the Spotted Flycatcher, it has 

 been accused of killing honey bees, and at Whitby one was 

 shot in flagrante delicto (Nat. 1886, p. 277). 



Mr. W. Eagle Clarke had examples, obtained at Spurn in 

 autumn, which are an inch less in total length than the average 

 measurement. 



RED-BREASTED FLYCATCHER. 



Muscicapa parva (Bechst.). 



Accidental summer visitant from the European Continent, of 

 extremely rare occurrence. 



This species nests on the Continent of Europe and in 

 Persia, migrating in winter to northern India and China. 

 Its claim to be included in the Yorkshire avi-fauna rests 

 on the occurrence of one immature example only, which is 

 the seventh specimen recorded for Britain, and was obtained 

 by Mr. John Morley, at Scarborough, on the 23rd of October 



