THE RED-BREASTED FLYCATCHER.
[TO TEE EDITOR OP THE "SPECTATOR'
SIR,—The common flycatcher (ilaseicapa grisola) is a constant visitor to my garden. For the last three months there have always been flycatchers, perching either on a row wire railing or on the top of an extended lawn-tennis net, and thence performing their interesting evolutions. But on Sunday, July 24th, I noticed one which seemed unlike the others, and on approaching nearer I saw that it had a red breast and bore a curious resemblance to a robin. How- ever, while I was still watching it recommenced fluttering round on its little circular tours, and proved itself unmis- takably a flycatcher. I had never heard of a flycatcher with a red breast, and at once looked into such books on birds as I had at hand. Neither in Morris's book nor in Gould's "Birds of Great Britain" could I find any mention of such a bird, but both in Dresser's "Birds" and in Newton's " Yarrell" there is a full account of the red-breasted flycatcher (Musa- cepa par ea) with an illustration which is an obvious repre- sentation of the bird I saw. Both writers say that it has been seen in England once or twice, but is of extreme rarity. It would be interesting to know if it has become a more frequent visitor to this country than it used to be. I thought that I saw it again on Monday, August 1st, but am not absolutely certain.—I am, Sir, &c.,
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