THE FLYCATCHERS. 83 



everywhere a silent bird 1 Has he no love-notes wherewith to 

 woo his spouse when spring approaches, and before he reaches 

 us ? I can as yet find no hint of a song in any of the many 

 accounts of him I have read. It is most singular that he 

 should be unattractive in colour also — grey and brown and in- 

 significant ; but perhaps in the eyes of his wife even his quiet 

 voice and his grey figure may have weight. 



This Kycatcher is an excellent study for a young ornithologist. 

 He is easily seen, perching almost always on a leafless bough or 

 railing, whence he may have a clear view, and be able to pick 

 and choose his flies ; and he will let you come quite close, without 

 losing his presence of mind. His attitude is so unique, that I 

 can distinguish his tiny form at the whole length of the orchard ; 

 he sits quietly, silently, with just a shade of tristesse about him, 

 the tail slightly drooped and still, the head, with longish narrow 

 bill, bent a little downwards, for his prey is almost always 

 below him ; suddenly this expectant repose is changed into 

 quick and airy action, the little wings hover here and there so 

 quickly that you cannot foUow them, the fly is caught, and he 

 returns with it in his biU to his perch, to await a safe moment 

 for carrying it to his young. All this is done so unobtrusively 

 by a little greyish-brown bird with greyish-white breast, that 

 hundreds of his human neighbours never know of his existence 

 in their gardens. He is wholly unlike his handsomer and 

 livelier namesake, the Pied Flycatcher, in all those outward 

 characteristics which attract the inexperienced eye ; but the 

 . essential features are alike in both, the long wing, the biU flat 

 at the base, and the gape of the mouth famished with strong 



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