192 THE SPOTTED FLYCATCHER 



They may take a little fruit from you in the shape of 

 red currants, but this is open to doubt. Like other 

 creatures, a change of diet is, perhaps, valuable to them ; 

 but their labours during the early summer surely entitle 

 them to a share of the fruit. "* 



The Spotted Flycatcher is a little grey bird, smaller than 

 the sparrow. The upper side of its body is mouse-colour, 

 the underside whitish : on the breast and about the eyes 

 are dark specks. The beak is black, flattened out wider 

 at the base ; the upper half of it furnished with stiff 

 bristles on each side of the base to prevent its prey 

 escaping. Legs black and weak ; eyes dark and bright. 

 The nest is usually built in trees, stumps of boughs, 

 near the trunk, also in holes, but never very deep ones. 

 It is beautifully woven, of fine moss, lichens, fine rootlets 

 and grass, and is lined with wool, feathers and horse- 

 hair. It contains five eggs of light grey-green, with 

 dark marble-like veining and specks of rust-colour; the 

 speckling is sometimes thicker in a ring round the larger 

 end. 



* " Birds in their Seasons." 



