374 
PIED FLYCATCHER. 
Young- birds at first resemble the female, and in their change of 
plumage the males have all the intermediate shades from brown to 
black. This has probably given rise to an opinion that the male 
changes his plumage in the winter, and becomes like the female. 
It is said to be indigenous to England. It is, however, very local 
and by no means plentiful, but is spoken of as an inhabitant of York- 
shire, Lancashire, and Derbyshire. 
*Mr. Bolton, in his Harmonia Ruralis, says, “ The coldfinch has been 
known to build its nest in an almond-tree when in full blossom, and 
depart with its young early in September.” The eggs represented in 
that work, are five in number, of a dark-blue colour. This certainly 
implies that Mr. Bolton found the bird sufficiently plentiful in his 
neighbourhood, to make such observations on its autumnal migrations, 
but we cannot conceive that it retires northward with the colder 
months ; and if it does not change its habits with the season, and thus 
continue unnoticed, it certainly proceeds a very little way southward, as 
we believe there is no instance on record of its having been killed in 
the southern counties of Kent and Sussex — the evident route of the 
bird, if it migrates to and from the continent of Europe, like the 
spotted species. 
Mr. Bewick speaks of a pair of these birds having been shot at Ben- 
ton, in Northumberland, but is silent with respect to the season. One 
of these wanted the white spot on the forehead, in other respects they 
were similar; the upper parts in both were black, obscurely mixed with 
brown. This author adds the following remark, but unfortunately does 
not quote his authority. The nest of this bird, with a very great 
number of young, was found in a hole in a tree, in Axwell-park, June 18, 
1801. The parents, but particularly the male, incessantly kept feeding 
them with small flies, which they were extremely expert in catching.” 
If this author had ocular demonstration of this remark, it is unfor- 
tunate the circumstance should be omitted, for we know by long 
experience, how little is to be depended on the observations of the 
unscientific. 
* Mr. Edwin Lees had a nest of this bird brought to him, which he 
describes to have been ‘‘ built upon a wooden rake that was carelessly 
lying on the ground, in a cottage garden at Bransford, near Worcester. 
In this nest the female laid five eggs, and even sat on them indifferent 
to any one passing in the garden, till the nest was taken by a boy 
belonging to the cottage. This nest is carelessly put together, yet 
prettily constructed of long green moss, intermixed with the catkins of 
