53 JOTTIXGS ABOUT BIRDS. 



from such species as are regular migrants. First I 

 will instance tlie Cuckoo, a bird that reaches our 

 islands in April, the males arriving a few days before 

 the females, and the former are invariably silent 

 until stimulated into voice by the appearance of the 

 latter. The Cuckoo has a remarkably short breed- 

 ing season, and becomes iinally silent during the 

 first week or ten days of July, although there is a 

 perceptible decrease in its music numerically during 

 June. The sexual passions in this species are 

 strongest during the last few days of April and 

 throughout ^lay ; this is the period therefore of its 

 linest song. As a second instance I may very 

 ap])ropriately mention the Blackcap W arbler. In 

 this species the sexes also migrate singly, the males 

 arriving two or three days before the females. In 

 every case the newly-arrived males are mute, and 

 continue mute, so far as song is concerned, until 

 the females appear, and their arrival is the signal 

 for an outburst of melody which is perfectly 

 astonishing. Never does the Blackcap sing sweeter, 

 more continuously, or with more vital energy, 

 than during the iirst few weeks of its sojourn in 

 our islands. As this species rears but one brood in 

 the season, the song is not prolonged beyond the 

 first few days of July, and I strongly suspect that 



