name. It is five inches in length, nine in breadth, and 
weighs five drams. Bill black, slender, beset with bristles 
Ht the base ; irides dark ; legs and claws black and slender. 
The colours of the female are more uniform than the male, 
having less of black and no white about it, and is rather 
larger than the other sex. 
In habits this resembles the Flycatchers, like which it is 
continually darting into the air in pursuit of flies, and re- 
turning to the same spray ; its food is insects, but in winter 
it may be seen in company with other small birds, resorting 
to dunghills, at which time it feeds on seeds, worms, or in- 
sects : in many parts of England it is migratory, but it may 
be found near London at all seasons of the year. 
It builds its nest at the bottom of a bush, mostly furze, it 
is composed of dry grass and fibres, lined with finer materials 
of the same kind ; it lays five or six clear blue eggs. The 
nest is artfully «ecreted, and to avoid notice the birds never 
alight direetly at the nest, but at some distance, and run 
along the grass so as to form a little path to it. Its note i» 
lively, and is uttered whilst suspended on wing over a bush 
or spray ; as soon as the young are hatched the birds become 
mute. . 
