36 PIED FLYCATCHER SWALLOW. 



PIED FLYCATCHER (Muscicapa atricapilla) . 



Migrant ; April to September. Much rarer and more local 

 than last ; breeding sparingly in the southern counties, but 

 rather more frequently in the West, Wales, and the North. 



Haunts. Gardens, orchards, &c. 



Plumage. Upper parts and tail black, greyer on rump and 

 browner on wings. Forehead, central wing-coverts, and under 

 parts, white. Bill and legs black. Length 5 in. Female : 

 upper parts browner, and white surfaces washed with buff. 

 Young spotted above with buff, and below with dark brown. 



Language. A far better songster than last, song reminding 

 one in turn vaguely of the Eedstart's and Chaffinch's. Alarm- 

 note, " chick." 



Habits. Closely resembles the last. 



Food. Insects chiefly ; small beetles and worms ; also soft 

 fruits. 



Nest. May or June. One brood. 



Site. In hole in a tree or wall, &c. ; never in an exposed 

 situation like last. 



Materials. Bents, rootlets, grass, leaves, and moss ; lined 

 with wool, feathers, and hair, loosely compacted. 



Eggs Five to nine. Uniform very pale blue. 



Family HIRUNDINID^. 

 SWALLOW (Hirundo nistica). 



Migrant; April to October. Well distributed and common, 

 except in the extreme North. 



Haunts. Country villages and towns. 



Plumage. Forehead and chin chestnut-brown. Upper parts, 

 sides of neck, and belt across chest black with purplish reflec- 

 tions ; under parts dull reddish white. Tail long and forked. 

 Bill and legs black. Length 7J in. Female, less chestnut on 

 forehead and less black on chest ; under parts whiter. Young, 

 duller, chestnut areas whiter. 



Language. Song, pleasing, and rather reminiscent of the 

 Linnet's ; a twittering kind of warble, consisting of one note 

 like " le-wit," and another rather metallic one. Call-note, 

 "whit." Alarm-note, " whit-tit-tit-tit." 



Habits. Flight graceful, gliding and doubling. It seldom 

 alights on the ground, and even drinks on the wing, skimming 

 the surface of the water for the purpose. It returns year after 

 year to the same nest. 



Food. Insects, almost entirely captured on the wing. 



Nest. May onwards. Two broods. 



Site. On top of rafter or purlin in an open shed, in chim- 

 neys, under stone bridges, &c. 



