SYLVIADJ& 75 



wards by the river-side, when a Spotted Flycatcher 

 made a sudden dash at it from a branch above my 

 head ; it missed its victim, which was too large for its 

 little mouth to catch easily : the bird continued dashing 

 at the butterfly, missing it, and turning round sharply 

 to renew the attack. Each time the bird missed its 

 intended victim I could hear the bill snap with a 

 sharp ' crack,' although some twenty yards distant. 

 The bird at last gave up the pursuit, and returned 

 to its former perch on the oak-tree, no doubt con- 

 siderably disappointed. 



Its little chirping note is rather pleasing to the 

 ear, but it can scarcely be called a songster. It 

 leaves us at the latter end of September. 



Family SYLVIAD^E. 



REDSTART (Phcenictira ruticilla). Local names, 

 Red-tally Fire-tail. This bright-coloured little bird 

 arrives here about the middle of April. I have 

 rarely observed it earlier. It is not one of our 

 commonest birds, yet I cannot call it rare. I have 

 seen many in Burnham Beeches, which woods they 

 frequent in the greatest numbers in May and June. 

 They are occasionally observed in Ditton Park and 

 in Windsor Forest. I have known but few instances 

 of their nesting so far south as this ; but Mrs. 

 Lipscombe, the Eton .vendor of bird's-eggs, tells me 

 that she generally has a nest every year. This 

 old lady gets most of the eggs of this vicinity, as 



