THE SPOTTED FLYCATCHER. 143 



rapid manner in which he darts into the air and seizes it, generally 

 returning to the same position to continue his watch. These birds 

 have been accused of helping themselves to raspberries, cherries, and 

 other fruit, but an examination of the stomachs of those killed in 

 orchards and gardens seems to prove that the charge is unfounded, as 

 nothing but insects have been found. 



Immediately on their arrival in this country the Spotted Flycatchers 

 commence building operations; the female is believed to be the archi- 

 tect, while the male simply collects the materials. The nest is placed 

 in a variety of situations a hole in a tree or wall, a rocky ledge, the 

 branch of a fruit tree nailed against a wall, or the beam of a shed or 

 other outbuilding. Although very small, not more than four and a 

 half inches external, and two and a half internal diameter, it is a 

 beautiful structure, and has an immense amount of labour bestowed 

 upon it: it is composed of various materials, twigs, grass, moss, 

 catkins, straws, and fibrous roots, and is lined with hair, wool, down, 

 and feathers, especially those of domestic birds. Yarrell says, "long 

 stems of grass or long horse hairs are interwoven by the bird, fixing 

 in one end, and then traversing the edge of the nest, laying in the 

 remainder as she makes circle after circle. A female has been seen 

 going backward round the upper edge of the nest, arranging the ma- 

 terials which formed the inner lining." In selecting a position for the 

 birth-place of their family, these birds exhibit but little regard to the 

 close vicinity of mankind, and are not easily disturbed or driven from 

 the spot once chosen. A pair built in the hinge of an outhouse door, 

 where people were continually passing and re-passing; another in the 

 angle of a lamp-post in Leeds; and another in the crown of a lamp 

 near Portland Square, in London. More curious still, it is related 

 that at Cuckfield Place, in Sussex, a pair of these birds constructed 

 their nest on the top of a garden hoe hanging on a rail against a 

 wall, beneath a small shelf. Four eggs were laid, upon which the 

 female sat, and notwithstanding she was constantly visited during the 

 time of incubation, in due time the young were hatched. Whenever 

 the hoe was required for use, the nest was taken off and placed on 

 the shelf or the ground, but this did not appear to alarm the old 

 birds, who continued feeding the young and attending to their domestic 

 duties as if nothing had happened; as soon as it was replaced in its 

 original position they would express their gratification by flying round 

 and chirruping forth their joy; thus bringing up their progeny until 

 they were able to leave the nest and provide for themselves. The 

 eggs of thi. bird, four or five in number, are greenish or greyish 

 white, clouded and spotted with pale reddish brown and purplish grey, 



