2*4 FLY-CATCHER. Glafs IL 



VI. The FLY-CATCHER, 



Sfoparola. Aldr. a<v. \'\. 324. Raiifytt. a<v. 77. 



A fmall bird without a name, Le Gobe-mouche, Mufcicapa, 



like the Stopparola of Aldro- BriJJbn av. ii. 357. tab. 35. 



wand. Wil. orn. 21 J. ^-3* 



Zinan. 45. Mufcicapa grifola. Lin.fyfi. 32??. 



The Cobweb. MortonNortbampt. Br. Zool. 99. plate P. 2. f. 4. 



426. 



TH E fly-catcher is a bird of paffage, appears iri 

 the Spring, breeds with us, and retires in 

 Auguil. It builds its neft on the fides of trees, to- 

 wards the middle : Morton fays in the corners of 

 wall? where fpiders weave their webs. We have feert 

 them followed by four or five young, but never faw 

 their eggs. When the young can fly the old ones 

 withdraw with them into thick woods, where they 

 frolick among the top branches ; dropping from the 

 boughs frequently quite perpendicular on the flies 

 that fport beneath, and rife again in the fame di- 

 rection. It will alfo take its ftand on the top of fome 

 flake or poll:, from whence it fprings forth on its 

 prey, returning dill to the fame ftand for many times 

 together. They feed alfo on cherries, of which they 

 feem very fond. 



Defer ^ ne neac * * s ' ar § e ' °^ a brownifh hue fpotted 

 obfeurely with black : the back of a moufe color : 

 the wings and tail dufky ; the interior edges of the 

 quil-feathers edged with pale yellow : the breafl and 

 belly white; the fhafts of the feathers on the former 

 dufky ; the throat and fides under the wings are 

 dafhed with red ; the bill is very broad at the bafe, is 



ridged 



