334 BRITISH BIRDS. 



winter, as my friend Mr. Brooks supposes, is abundantly proved by ex- 

 amples shot in January and February in Ceylon *. 



The Red-breasted Flycatcher is not such a rare bird as it was formerly 

 supposed to be. By some observers it has been confounded with the 

 Robin, and by others it has been overlooked altogether, in consequence of 

 its retiring habits. It does not frequent gardens during the breeding- 

 season, like the other European Flycatchers, but seems to live entirely in 

 the forests. Beech-forests are its favourite resort, probably because its 

 favourite food is some insect which is found principally on beech trees. 

 On its first arrival it is frequently seen in open places near the forests ; 

 and..after the young are able to fly it Avill visit any gardens that may 

 happen to be near the beech-forest where it has bred ; but during the 

 breeding-season it seems to live entirely secluded. It arrives in North 

 Germany somewhat late, being seldom seen before May, and is one of 

 the first birds to leave in the autumn, disappearing early in September. 



The Red-breasted Flycatcher appears to be a connecting-link between 

 the Robins and the Flycatchers. It has almost the tail of a Pratincola, 

 with a still wider bill and more developed rictal bristles. This formation 

 of bill shows it to be a true Flycatcher ; and birds of this species in con- 

 finement feed upon the common house-fly with great avidity, preferring it 

 to any artificial food. In the forest its fly-catching propensities are not 

 so obvious ; but it has been observed to catch flies on the wing like its 

 congeners. Its habits are difficult to observe, as it appears to feed prin- 

 cipally on or near the tops of lofty trees, rarely descending until it has 

 satisfied its appetite. In the gardens the currants seem to be the attraction, 

 and it is often seen in the cherry-trees. 



When I was in Pomerania last spring with my son and Dr. Gadow, 

 Herr von Putkammer was kind enough to invite us and our friends, Herr 

 von Homeyer and Dr. Holland, to visit a heronry on his estate, on which 

 is a grand old family mansion, surrounded by a moat, in a noble park 

 about ten miles south-east of Stolp. We spent the day among the Herons ; 

 and after dinner Herr von Homeyer engaged to pilot us to a beech-forest 

 where the Red-breasted Flycatcher used to breed. The carriage was 

 ordered, and our hospitable host drove von Homeyer, Dr. Holland, arid 

 myself through his park to an adjoining estate, where we entered a forest 

 of mixed beech and oak on a hill-side which sloped down to the country- 

 road. We had not proceeded far before we came to the nest of a Spotted 

 Eagle, from which the bird flew as we approached. Leaving our com- 

 panions to watch the Eagle, Dr. Holland and I set off in quest of the 



* This species probably only winters in Ceylon. Brooks found it in summer at Goond, 

 on the Scind river, in Central Cashmere not in Sindh, as erroneously stated by Dresser 

 in his ' Birds of Europe.' It is somewhat remarkable that it has not been obtained on 

 migration in the intervening country. 



