Class IT. BLACK- CAP. 



The female is didinguifhed from the male by the 

 fpot on the head, which in that is of a dull ruft-co- 

 lor. The black-cap is a bird of pafTage, leaving 

 us before winter. It fings very finely •, and on 

 that account is called in Norfolk the mock-7iight- 

 ingale. It has ufually a full, fvveet, deep, loud 

 wild pipe ; yet the drain is of fhort continuance ; 

 and his motions are defultory : but when that bird 

 fits calmly, and in earnefl: engages in fong, he pours 

 forth very fweet but inward melody -, and exprefi^es 

 great variety of fweet and gentle modulations, fu- 

 perior perhaps to thofe of any of our warblers, the 

 nightingale excepted : and while they warble, their 

 throats are wonderfully diftended. 



The black-cap frequents orchards and gardens. 

 The lad fpring we difcovered the nefb of this bird 

 in a fpnice fir^ about two feet from the ground ; 

 the outfide was compofed of the dried ftalks of the 

 goofe grafs^ with a little wool and green mofs round 

 the verge j the infide was lined with the fibres of 

 roots, thinly covered with black horfe hair. There 

 were five eggs of a pale reddifh brown, mottled 

 with a deeper color, and fprinkled with a few dark 

 fpots. 



375 



Ficcdula. 



