458 
6 
Flycatcher. I have usually found it in groves, usually amongst old oaks or chestnuts, where 
the trees are, to some extent, decayed and it can find convenient holes for the purpose of 
nidification. It is a restless rather than a shy bird, and is seldom seen seated quietly, but 
usually moving amongst the trees, and frequently flitting amongst the branches at the tops of 
the large oaks. I have seen it lift and slightly jerk the wings, and jerk whilst spreading the 
tail a little. It appears to approach habitations much less frequently than the Spotted Fly- 
catcher, and is much more of a forest-hunting species than that bird. It feeds on insects, more 
especially flies of various sorts, which it catches on the wing with great dexterity; and I have 
sometimes observed it flitting amongst the foliage, evidently picking some insect off the leaves. 
It is also said occasionally, but rarely, to feed on worms. Sometimes it will take its station on 
some dry branch, and thence make short aérial excursions in quest of a passing insect, with 
which, when caught, it returns to its old perch. Naumann states that it also feeds on berries, 
such as currants, elderberries, bird-cherries, &c. 
It breeds in groves where old, partially hollow, non-evergreen trees are scattered about, 
especially oaks, beeches, and aspen trees, usually in rather thin groves, and but seldom in dense 
woods. The nest is placed-in a hole in a tree, most frequently in an old deserted Woodpecker’s 
hole, or where a Titmouse has had its habitation; and usually a hole is selected the entrance to 
which is small. The nest itself is rather loosely, but not carelessly, constructed of moss, dried 
bents, and rootlets, and lined with feathers, wool, or hair. The eggs, from four to six, and 
sometimes even seven, in number, are delicate pale blue-greenish white, occasionally speckled 
with pale reddish brown, and measure from 7§ by 39 to {5 by 2% inch in size. I have eggs 
taken in May; and in Mr. Sachse’s collection I found eggs taken on the 13th and 21st of that 
month. 
The specimens figured are, on the same Plate with Muscicapa collaris, an adult male in full 
spring plumage from Altenkirchen, and on a second Plate the female and young, these being 
the specimens described and in my collection. 
In the preparation of the above article I have examined the following specimens :— 
. EL Mus. H. EH. Dresser. 
a, 6. Highgate, London, September 13th, 1869 (Davy). c,¢,d,2. Valencia, April 20th, 1872 (Howard 
Saunders). e. San Felio de Llobregat, Spain, May 6th, 1866 (4. EF. D.). f, ¢. North France (Dr. 
Herrmann). g,¢. Sardinia, April 1870 (Salvadori). h,d,%i,d. Piedmont, Italy, April 21st, 1870 
(Salvadori). k,3. Piedmont, September 1869 (Salvadori). 1,2,m,2,n,d,0,¢d. Altenkirchen, May 
19th, 1874 (H. H. D.). p,d. Altenkirchen (C. Sachse). gq, 3. Silesia, 1866 (Dr. Kutter). r,c. 
Ortakeuy, Turkey, April 6th, 1865 (7. Robson). s, 3d. Ortakeuy, April 23rd, 1869 (T. Rodsen). t, 3. 
Tunis (Antinori). u, pullus. Near Brussels (Dudois). : 
E Mus. G. E. Shelley. 
a, 3. Egypt, April 1871 (G. EZ. S.). 
E Mus. C. A. Wright. 
a,3. Malta, April 24th, 1869. 6,2. Malta, April 13th, 1869 (C. A. W.). 
