The ZooLioGisT — September, 1866. 377 



from him the following interesting remarks on the habits of this bird: 

 — ' Your favour has duly reached me. The little Flycatcher alluded to 

 we observed some days before it was shot. Its habits were interesting, 

 taking a great deal the character of our summer visitor. We first 

 observed it on a dead holly tree ; this tree and the ground around the 

 house were its favourite resort. It was particularly active, skimming 

 the grass to within about a foot, then perching itself, darted occasion- 

 ally with a toss, resting either on a shrub or the wire fencing. There 

 is another in the neighbourhood, for which a vigilant watch will be 

 kept. I saw it a few days back in a plantation which is four hundred 

 yards from my house. Should I be fortunate to capture it, you shall 

 have due notice. I believe that with due attention many interesting 

 visitors may be found.' I am unable to offer you any particulars of 

 this valuable fact, except second-hand ; but no doubt, upon the two 

 authorities I have quoted, you will feel a pleasure in giving the visit 

 of this new British bird a place in the ' Zoologist.'" The second and 

 only other notice is at p. 8841 of the same volume : — " Amongst the 

 various arrivals of different birds, in their migratorial movement at this 

 season of the year at Scilly, Flycatchers were observed on Friday last, 

 three of which were captured, one of them from its smaller size being 

 taken for a ChifFchaff. The four outer semi-white tail-feathers arrested 

 the attention of my nephew and Mr. A. Pechell, who were the captors, 

 and they were sent over here for my inspection. The little bird, from 

 the description my nephew gave before I saw it, led me to believe it 

 would prove a second specimen of the Muscicapa parva. He writes: 

 — ' Pechell has sent three little birds to be preserved, and we want 

 your opinion about them. Two, we think, are young Pied Fly- 

 catchers; the third seems to be something like a ChifFchaff, but the 

 tail is not right, and the white feathers seem odd. I think they are 

 all young. The actions of the bird with the white tail were those of a 

 Flycatcher.' On examining this third and small bird, it proved to be 

 the Redbreasted Flycatcher. The sides of the breast are tinged with 

 buff-brown, which colour is perceptible across the breast. The chin 

 and middle parts of the breast and belly white, not quite pure. The 

 four outer tail-feathers with their basal halves irregularly white, leaving 

 the tips to the extent of two-thirds of an inch brown. I venture an 

 opinion that this is an immature male bird." There can be little 

 dbubt, now that attention has been called to this little bird, and its 

 similarity to the Robin, both in song and plumage, pointed out, that 



SECOND SERIES — VOL. I. 3 C 



