AVES — BLACK-CAP. 513 



brown, tinged with olive ; the under parts are of a pale ash color, almost 

 white at the throat and belly. But in his song he surpasses all the choristers 

 of the air, his notes being exquisitely varied, soft, and harmonious, and ren- 

 dered still more pleasing by their being poured forth in the night, when the 

 other warblers are all silent. They begin their song in the evening, and 

 generally continue for the whole night. For weeks together, if undisturbed, 

 they sit upon the same tree ; and Shakspeare rightly describes the nightin- 

 gale, sitting nightly in the same place. In a calm evening, he may be heard 

 to the distance of more than half a mile. 



In the beginning of May, the nightingale prepares to make its nest, which 

 is formed of the leaves of trees, straw, and moss. The nest, heing very 

 eagerly sought after, is as cunningly secreted ; so that but very few of them 

 are found by the boys when they go upon these pursuits. It is built at the 

 bottom of hedges, where the bushes are thickest and best covered. While 

 the female continues sitting, the male, at a good distance, but always within 

 hearing, cheers the patient hour with his voice, and, hy the short interruption 

 of his song, often gives her warning of approaching danger. She lays four 

 or five eggs ; of which but a part, in England, come to maturity. 



The delicacy, or rather the fame, of this bird's music, has induced many 

 to abridge its liberty, to secure its harmony. Its song, however, in captivity, 

 is not so very alluring; and the tyranny of taking it from these hedges, 

 where only it is most pleasing, still more depreciates its imprisoned efforts. 

 Gesner assures us, that it is not only the most agreeable songster in a cage, 

 but that it is possessed of a most admirable faculty of talking. 



THE BLACK-CAP. i 



This bird is rather more than five inches in length, and is of the titmouse 

 kind. The upper mandible is of a dark horn color, the under one light 

 blue, and the edges of both whitish ; the top of the head is black, from which 

 circumstance it derives its name ; the sides of the head and back of the neck 

 are ash color ; the back and wings of an olive gray ; the throat and breast 

 of a silvery gray ; the belly white ; the legs are of a bluish color, inclining 

 to brown ; the claws black. The head of the female is of a dull rust color 



1 Sylvia atricapilla, Lath. 



65 



