The Pied and Spotted Fly- 
catchers are common in Eng- 
land. 
The Spotted Flycatcher is 
by far the more common of the 
two species, and has received 
several local names in allusion 
to its habits ; the titles of Wall 
Bird and Beam Bird being those 
by which it is most frequently 
designated. It is one of the 
migrating bi^ds, arriving in this 
country at a rather late season, 
being seldom seen before the 
middle or even the end of May. 
The reason for its late arrival is 
probably that, if the bird were 
to make an earliei appearance, 
the flying insects on which it 
feeds would not be hatched in 
sufficient numbers to ensure a 
proper supply of food for itself 
and young. It is a common bird 
throughout the whole of England 
and Ireland, and is also seen 
but not so frequently, in Scotland. 
It has a wide range of locality, 
having been observed in different 
parts of Europe, and extending 
its flight to Southern Africa. 
This bird is fond of haunting 
parks, gardens, meadows, and 
shrubberies, always choosing 
those spots where flies are most 
common, and attaching itself to 
the same perch for many days in 
succession. When the Flycatcher inhabits any place where it has been accus- 
tomed to live undisturbed, it is a remarkably trustful bird. 
The Pied Flycatcher is not so common as the Spotted species, and may be 
known by the pied black and white of its plumage. 
PIED FLYCATCHER. 
Muscicapa atricapilla. 
SPOTTED FLYCATCHER. 
Muscicojoci gnsola. 
in 
