174 MUSCICAPIDA. 
trained against a building. Of three cup-shaped nests 
now before me, one is formed on the outside of old dark- 
coloured moss, mixed with roots, the lining of grass stems, 
with only two or three white feathers; the second has the 
bottom and outside of fresh green moss, lined with a few 
grass bents, long horse-hairs, and several mottled feathers, 
apparently those of a Turkey; the third is similar to the 
last on the outside, but lined with long horse-hairs, wool, 
and feathers. The labour and art bestowed by birds on 
the construction of their nests have long been the theme 
of admiration; but the state of vegetation at the nest- 
building season of the year, and the care manifested by 
birds generally in selecting a place of security, render it 
difficult to obtain a sight of the nest-makers when at work. 
From what has been observed, however, it is believed that 
the female is generally the nest-builder ; the male collects 
and brings to her the materials required: long stems of 
grass, or long horse-hairs, are interwoven by the bird, 
fixing in one end, and then traversing the edge of the 
nest, lays in the remainder as she makes circle after circle. 
A female bird has been seen going backward round the 
upper edge of the nest, arranging the materials which 
formed the inner lining. The eggs of the Spotted Fly- 
catcher are four or five in number, about nine lines in 
length by seven lines in breadth; the ground colour white 
tinged with blue, and spotted with pale red. White says, 
the female while sitting on the eggs is fed by the male even 
as late as nine o’clock at night. 
This bird has no power of voice beyond a chirping call 
note. 
A curious circumstance in reference to this bird has 
been noticed by Thomas Andrew Knight, Esq. the Presi- 
dent of the Horticultural Society. A Flycatcher built 
