70 



BLACKCAP. 

 Sylvia atricapiila (Z.). 



Summer visitant, somewhat irregularly distributed, and not very- 

 numerous. Has occasionally occurred in winter. 



The earliest allusion to this species as a Yorkshire bird 

 is, apparently, that contained in the Rev. J. Graves's " History 

 of Cleveland," 1808, where it is styled " Motacilla atricapiila.' 



Thomas Allis, in 1844, wrote : — 



C"*'rnca atricapiila. — Blackcap Warbler. Is frequently met with 

 in most parts of the county ; not very common near Huddersfield, 

 where it is stated to remain the year through. 



This charming songster arrives late in April, the average 

 date in the south of the county being the 22nd, and the 

 i8th in the central plain ; an early date is noted at North 

 Stainley, near Ripon, where two were seen on 31st March 

 1892, and at Masham it has been reported as early as the 9th 

 of April. The time for its departure is September or early 

 October ; at Barnsley the approximate date is the loth 

 of the latter month, though it has been known to occur in 

 mid-winter at the following places : Almondbury, on 26th 

 January 1866 ; near Holmfirth Reservoir, on 29th November 

 1873 ; and near Shefheld on 3rd December 1882. 



The Blackcap is a bird of rather irregular and local 

 distribution, and appears to be more frequent in the south 

 than in the north, but it varies in numbers in different years. 

 In the Sheffield district it is tolerably common ; about 

 Halifax it has been found nesting ; and in the north-west 

 and most other parts of the West Riding it may be considered 

 as a regular but, generally speaking, not abundant visitant, 

 though in localities where there is plenty of cover, thick 

 hedgerows, gardens or plantations, it may usually be met 

 with. Allis's Report requires some modification as regards 

 Huddersfield, for various observers state the Blackcap is 

 not uncommon in that district, and the remark respecting 

 its wintering may be qualified by the use of the adverb 



