172 



THRUSH AND CUCKOO. 



birds ; we have but two sorts in our country ; and one of 

 these, the Pied Fly-Catcher (Muscicapa atricapilla), is so 

 rare as to be seldom seen ; the other, however, known by 

 the name of the Beam-bird, is common enough, building 

 very frequently upon the ends of beams, or rafters in garden- 

 houses, from whence it probably takes its name. They act 

 the part of Hawks amongst flies, feeding on them alone, and 

 always on the look-out. In summer-time, it is very interest- 

 ing to watch a Beam-bird, perched on some prominent twig, 

 commanding a view all round. In an instant it may be 

 seen to dart, like a little shot, upon a fly passing often at so 

 great distance, that it would quite escape our powers of 

 vision ; but by no means that of this keen-sighted bird, for 

 the fly is no sooner seen than caught, and brought back with 

 equal rapidity to the twig on which the bird was before 



The Paradise Fly-Catcher. 



