marauding Sparrows. In Northamptonshire this bird
is generally known as “ Cobweb ” ; | Beam-bird ” is
another common local name for i t ; and in Kent it goes
by the name of “ Cherry-sucker,” a singular misnomer,
as I need hardly say that our bird is exclusively insectivorous.
In this connection it is somewhat remarkable
that Morton, in his ‘ Natural History of Northamptonshire
(1712), in alluding to the Tree-Creeper states:
‘At Desborough tis said to build in walls and to feed
on cherries in cherry-time, and so is called Cherry-bird
by some, this I look upon as a mistake; its proper food
being insects.” The author no doubt here applied a
local myth to the wrong species, as I think that it is
sufficiently obvious that the “ Cherry-bird” of Des-
borough was the subject of the present writing.
I believe that the Flycatcher often rears two broods,
as, although our pleasure-grounds swarm with young
birds almost throughout July, I have frequently found
fledglings in the nests late in August.
The pleasant familiarity of this species, and the
enormous number of pestilential house-flies and other
insects that it destroys, should ensure its protection
and render it a general favourite ; as a proof of its
fearlessness of human beings, this summer a Flycatcher
sat steadily on her eggs and hatched out her brood on
the branch of a yew-tree, within three or four feet of
my favourite shade-resort in our flower-garden, my
head as I sat in my wheeled chair being constantly at
the distance mentioned from the nest. Gardeners
gamekeepers, and others are apt to bring charges of
depredation against all sorts of perfectly innocent birds;
but the only misdemeanour that I have ever heard
attributed to my friend the Flycatcher is that of dirtying
garden-seats, certainly not a very serious or irremediable
offence.
My readers must pardon my prolixity with regard to
one of my most favourite birds, associated as it is with
many happy summer-times in English gardens and
pleasure-grounds, good company, and good books. I
have met with the Spotted Flycatcher as a migrant in
every part of Europe that I have visited.