126 
MUSCICAPA ATRICAPILLA— II. 
N the following summer, 1898, these birds returned to 
the nest-box of the garden. The morning of April 25 
broke peerlessly. v\s I walked before breakfast on the 
river-walk I heard an eager spich, spick, from a bird 
flying across the stream to our river oak. It was a pied fly- 
catcher, newly arrived. He broke into song immediately, then 
passed on to the scarlet oak where the nest-box was hung. 
Only two days previously had this been replaced, lest the 
titmice — who had other boxes at their service — might appro- 
priate it before its rightful owner appeared. It had been 
cleared out and emptied of the nest-stuff, perhaps needlessly ; 
but it was done because it had had an autumn and even a 
winter tenant. On being opened one November day a beauti- 
ful, bright-eyed, long-tailed field mouse was found ensconced 
within, surrounded by the refuse of holly berries, which it had 
carried up ten smooth feet of tree trunk in order to relish snugly 
there. After that the box was laid under a garden seat, where 
it seems to have been again appropriated ; for the light mass of 
nest-stuff was found in spring to have been reconstructed, and 
a little domed cell formed of it — no doubt for the winter com- 
fort of the same mouse, or of its less elegant relation, the short- 
tailed field mouse or vole, which also frequents the garden. 
But now the rightful owner was back, and in a high state of 
excitement. He hung to the box, entered it and stayed in a 
while ; then came out to chase a great tit from the oak tree, and 
to mount guard despotically over his treasured homestead. 
He remained about and sang till past noon, using a far more 
extended range of notes than last year. His plumage had 
improved too ; the dark parts of it were blacker, the spot on 
the forehead more defined, the breast whiter, and without last 
year’s fleck upon it. For he was, it was presumed from his 
knowledge of the place and his straight return to the box, the 
same bird as last year, only one year the older and wiser, and 
more beautiful. 
However, our eager little bird had now to wait for his mate ; 
and some cold and stormy days following, he came and went, 
sometimes absent for a half or whole day, sometimes singing 
incessantly round. On the 30th of the month such a gale 
from the S.E. sprang up with rain, that the tender, unopened 
flowers of the sycamore were ripped off and flung down along 
with the shell-like bracts, and the glory of the white wild 
cherry trees suddenly departed. Yet, when the rain abated at 
dusk, our bird returned to his tree, and sat singing till a 
stronger blast sent him off again. For now his mate was due, 
and it behd'ved him to be vigilant at his post. 
Next morning, in spite of the gale, she had arrived ! Both 
birds were found hawking after flies from the palings below 
the tree. The cock was delighted and enamoured ; he sang. 
