174 MUSCICAPHLE. 



trained against a building. Of three cup-shaped nests 

 now before me, one is formed on the outside of old dark- 

 coloured moss, mixed with roots, the lining of grass stems, 

 with only two or three white feathers ; the second has the 

 bottom and outside of fresh green moss, lined with a few 

 grass bents, long horse-hairs, and several mottled feathers, 

 apparently those of a Turkey ; the third is similar to the 

 last on the outside, but lined with long horse-hairs, wool, 

 and feathers. The labour and art bestowed by birds on 

 the construction of their nests have long been the theme 

 of admiration ; but the state of vegetation at the nest- 

 building season of the year, and the care manifested by 

 birds generally in selecting a place of security, render it 

 difficult to obtain a sight of the nest-makers when at work. 

 From what has been observed, however, it is believed that 

 the female is generally the nest-builder ; the male collects 

 and brings to her the materials required : 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, lays in the remainder as she makes circle after circle. 

 A female bird has been seen going backward round the 

 upper edge of the nest, arranging the materials which 

 formed the inner lining. The eggs of the Spotted Fly- 

 catcher are four or five in number, about nine lines in 

 length by seven lines in breadth ; the ground colour white 

 tinged with blue, and spotted with pale red. White says, 

 the female while sitting on the eggs is fed by the male even 

 as late as nine o 1 clock at night. 



This bird has no power of voice beyond a chirping call 

 note. 



A curious circumstance in reference to this bird has 

 been noticed by Thomas Andrew Knight, Esq. the Presi- 

 dent of the Horticultural Society. A Flycatcher built 



