Despite the immense services rendered by these birds, they and their eggs are constantly destroyed by boys and men, who are too ignorant or unthinking to know and appreciate the benefits they confer upon us; large numbers also fall victims to the attacks of cats, martens, rats, and mice. The Fly-catcher is easily reared, and soon so completely adapts itself to captivity that it may be allowed to fly at large about a room. If provided with a small box filled with sand, in which an upright stick is placed with another laid across, it prefers perching upon the latter to any other situation, and never in any way injures the furniture of the apartment. One of these birds kept by ourselves was fed during several successive winters upon rolls soaked in milk, and finely-minced meat; upon this diet it became remarkably tame, and, although liberated every spring, regularly returned to us at the end of the warm season.
The MOURNING FLY-CATCHERS (Muscicapa) differ from those members of their family already described in the shortness of their beak, which is almost triangular, in the inferior size of their wings, and in the diversity of plumage that distinguishes the sexes.
THE BLACK-CAPPED OR PIED FLY-CATCHER.
The BLACK-CAPPED or PIED FLY-CATCHER (Muscicapa atricapilla) is five inches long, and about eight inches and a half broad. The male bird is deep grey, more or less clearly marked with black upon the entire upper side; the brow, lower parts of the body, and a patch upon the wings are white. The female is greyish brown above, and dirty white beneath; her anterior wing-quills being blackish brown, whilst the undermost are bordered with white; the three exterior tail-feathers are white upon the outer web. The young are similar to the mother. Both sexes have dark brown eyes, and black beaks and feet. This species is particularly numerous in some parts of Germany, and usually makes its appearance in England about April, leaving for more southern latitudes in September, but it is by no means common in this country. A nest found by Mr. Heysham, of Carlisle, contained eight eggs, one of which lay at the bottom, whilst the rest were placed perpendicularly, in regular order round the little apartment, the narrow end turned upwards and supported against the sides of the wall.
THE COLLARED OR WHITE-NECKED FLY-CATCHER.
The COLLARED or WHITE-NECKED FLY-CATCHER (Muscicapa albicollis) is frequently mistaken for the preceding species, the females especially bearing a most deceptive resemblance to each other. The adult male, however, is recognisable by a white ring around the throat, and the female is without the light edging to the tail-feathers. Both these Mourning Fly-catchers inhabit Europe, the latter being numerously met with in its most southern countries, but comparatively rarely seen in the more northern portions; whilst the former frequents every part of the European continent, making its appearance at the end of April, and leaving again about September: their migrations often extend as far as Central Africa, and are usually carried on at night: the males are always the first to leave, and generally return to Europe before their mates. Both species are extremely lively, passing the entire day, when the weather is fine, in pursuing their prey, or chasing each other in sportive evolutions through the air, or hopping nimbly from twig to twig, meanwhile uttering their twittering call-note. Even when perched, their little bodies are kept in constant motion by the incessant agitation of their wings and tail. The song of these birds is generally to be heard long before sunrise, when all their feathered companions are still asleep; and we are therefore inclined to listen to their voices with a pleasure and attention, occasioned rather by the circumstances under which their penetrating and somewhat melancholy notes are uttered, than from any intrinsic merits of their music; during the breeding season, however, the male sings agreeably and energetically throughout the day. Both these species of Fly-catchers subsist upon the same kinds of insects, and, should their ordinary food fall short, have recourse to various berries, or they glean small beetles from the leaves of the trees. Like all birds that live in a state of constant activity, they are extremely voracious, and devour enormous quantities of grasshoppers, horse-flies, butterflies, gnats, and other insects, always seizing their prey upon the wing, even should the victim be creeping on a leaf, or running over the ground. The nests are usually made in hollow trees, and are padded with a layer of moss and fibres, lined with feathers, wool, and hair. Should a hollow tree not be attainable, the nest is built upon some branch quite close to the trunk. The brood consists of five or six delicate-shelled, pale greenish eggs; these are incubated by both parents, and are hatched within a fortnight after they are laid. In three weeks' time the nestlings are fledged, but they remain for a considerably longer period under parental care and guidance. In some countries boxes are often placed in gardens in order to attract the breeding pairs; and so tame do the families thus reared become, that they will even allow the boxes to be moved from one place to another, without either leaving them or testifying any uneasiness. When caged, they soon attach themselves to those who feed them, and will take flies from the hand: Nightingales' food suits them best when they are subjected to a life of confinement. Large numbers of these useful birds are caught by the Italians, in a variety of nets and snares, during the time of their autumn migrations, and hundreds of them are exposed for sale as dainty morsels in every market-place. In ancient times Fly-catchers were sent from Cyprus to Italy prepared in spice and vinegar, and closely packed in pots or small casks.
THE DWARF FLY CATCHER.
The DWARF FLY-CATCHER (Erythrosterna parva) has been selected as the representative of a distinct group, on account of its comparatively powerful beak and high tarsi. The length of this bird is about five and its breadth about eight inches. Its plumage is so diversified as to have given rise to many errors concerning the number of species. During the spring the upper part of the body of the adult male is of brownish grey, deepest in shade towards the head; the feathers of the larger wing-covers and the posterior quills have a light edge; the chin, throat, lower and upper breast are rust-red; the rest of the under side dirty white; the primary quills are of a blackish brown-grey, enlivened by a light border. In the young male the reddish brown upon the throat is paler than in the adult bird, and all the colours in the plumage of the female are fainter and greyer than in that of her mate. All have dark brown eyes, and black beaks and feet.