58 THE BIRDS OF KENT 



the merry Blackcap announced his arrival. His light- 

 hearted welcome greeted me as I mounted for my morn- 

 ing's ride. Perched on the highest twig of a lofty lime, 

 he sang away cheerily and lustily, that his loving mate 

 might not miss him on her passage. Several successive 

 mornings I saw him singing from the top of the same 

 tree. It is delightful to listen to his varied, happy song ; 

 he deservedly ranks among our best singers. I was 

 greatly disappointed at not meeting with the Blackcap 

 from April 6 to 9 (1845). I beat up his usual quarters 

 every morning, without finding him, till April 23, when, 

 instead of exhibiting on the tops of the trees the restless 

 anxiety and excitement of a first arrival, anxiously look- 

 ing out, and incessantly singing for a partner, he was 

 composedly enjoying in the depth of the underwood the 

 soothing society of his red-headed wife. I concluded the 

 late opening of the buds had delayed his journey, and he 

 had picked up his mate while travelling through France. 

 Shooter's Hill, 184G : I had for days regularly beat up the 

 haunts of the Blackcap, and felt some disappointment at 

 not meeting with him, when on March 28, while pruning 

 a rose-tree at midday, I heard the well-known notes of 

 that merry bird. I darted off for my glass, and soon saw 

 our Blackcap, in blooming condition, singing away in the 

 highest spirits. I was delighted beyond measure to hear 

 our welcome friend once more. This morning, April 1, 

 1846, 1 heard several Blackcaps in full song. On April 11 

 I saw a hen Blackcap." 



It was not until April 11, 1854, that Mr. C. Collingwood 

 noted the arrival of the Blackcap at " Plumstead Com- 

 mon." The dates of arrival of the Blackcap in Kent 

 given in the Bulletin of the B.O.C. are : " Kent, March 

 27, 1905; April 9, 1905; April 10, 1905." The first 



