THE PIED FLYCATCHERS. 323 



I. THE PIED FLYCATCHER. FICEDULA ATRICAPILLA. 



Musricapa alricapilla, Linn., Syst. Nat., i., p. 326 (1766); Newt. 

 ed. Yarr., i., p. 229 (1872); Dresser, B. Eur., iii., p. 453, 

 pi. 158 (1875); Sharpe, Cat. B. Brit. Mus., iv., p. 157 

 (1879); B. O. U. List Br. B., p. 41 (1883); Seeb., Br. B., 

 i., p. 328 (1883) ; Saunders, Man., p. 151 (1889). 



Musricapa luctuosa, (Scop.); Macg., Br. B., iii., p. 524 (1840). 



Ficedula atricapilla, Salvad. Elench. Ucc. Ital, p. 84 (1886). 



Adult Male General colour above black, as also the wing- 

 coverts ; the median series tipped with white, and the greater 

 coverts entirely white ; primary-coverts and quills dark brown, 

 the inner primaries white at the base of the outer web, the 

 secondaries with a conspicuous fawn-coloured spot at the base 

 of both webs, and the inner secondaries white at the base, the 

 innermost ones entirely white, with more or less black towards 

 the end of the feathers; tail black, the three outer feathers 

 marked with white, the outermost one being almost entirely 

 white, with a brown mark near the end of the inner web; lores, 

 sides of face, and ear-coverts, black ; cheeks and under surface 

 of body white, as also the under wing-coverts and axillaries ; 

 bill and legs black ; iris brown. Total length, 5 '5 inches ; 

 culmen, 0-4; wing, 3*15; tail, 2-15; tarsus, 07. 



Adult Female. Different from the male, being brown instead 

 of black above, the greater coverts tipped with white ; quills 

 blackish-brown, the secondaries white at their bases, the inner 

 primaries having a small white spot at the base of the outer 

 web ; upper tail-coverts black ; tail-feathers blackish-brown, 

 the three outer ones marked with white on the outer web ; fore- 

 head and eyelid ochraceous-buff; sides of face, cheeks and throat, 

 breast and sides of body pale ochraceous-brown, shading off 

 into white on the abdomen and under tail-coverts; throat 

 whitish in the middle. Total length, 5-1 inches ; wing 2-95. 



Range in Great Britain. A regular summer migrant, and a bird 

 of very local distribution. It is said to have nested occasionally 

 in most of the southern counties, and in the midlands, but, as a 

 rule, it is only found in the south on migration. It nests, however, 

 regularly in the northern counties, in Northumberland, Durham, 

 Yorkshire, Lancashire, Cheshire, and the border counties be- 



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