172 
THRUSH AND CUCKOO. 
birds ; we have but two sorts in our country ; and one of 
these, the Pied Ply- Catcher (Muscicapa atricapilla ) , is so 
rare as to be seldom seen ; the other, however, known by 
the name of the Beam-bird, is common enough, building 
very frequently upon the ends of beams, or rafters in garden- 
houses, from whence it probably takes its name. They act 
the part of Hawks amongst flies, feeding on them alone, and 
always on the look-out. In summer-time, it is very interest- 
ing to watch a Beam-bird, perched on some prominent twig, 
commanding a view all round. In an instant it may be 
seen to dart, like a little shot, upon a fly passing often at so 
great distance, that it would quite escape our powers of 
vision ; but by no means that of this keen-sighted bird, for 
the fly is no sooner seen than caught, and brought back with 
equal rapidity to the twig on which the bird was before 
. 
The Paradise Ply- Catcher. 
