20 BLACKCAP. GARDEN WARBLER. 



[Sylvia orphea — Orphean Warbler. 

 An accidental visitor. 



SYLVIA ATRICAPILLA— Blackcap. 



The Blackcaps in an orchard met, 

 Praising the berries while they ate. 



D"ean Ingelow. 



Early in April this regular migrant may be welcomed in all 

 parts of the county, but is nowhere to be found in great numbers — 



For many a mile by day and night, 

 Our little wings with pinions light. 



Their weary task have plied. 

 And now we come, all peril past, 

 Back to the hazel copse at last. 



The well-known stream beside. 



Evans — Songs of the Birds. 



The Blackcap was a great favourite of White of Selborne, who 

 described it as having " a full, sweet, deep, loud, and wild pipe " of 

 short continuance, but in settled song " he pours forth very sweet 

 but inward melody, and expresses a great variety of soft and gentle 

 modulations, superior perhaps to those of any of our warblers, the 

 Nightingale alone excepted." Its tones, he said, always brought to 

 his mind Shakespeare's lines — 



And tune his merry note 

 Unto the wild bird's throat. 



— As Yoii Like It. 



SYLVIA HORTENSIS— Garden Warbler. 

 [ Sylvia salicaria — Yarrell. ] 



When the elm tree is coming into leaf, a nest of the Garden 

 Warbler may be looked for. It is a not uncommon visitor in the 

 county, and widely scattered over it. As a songster, it ranks only 

 after the Blackcap. It pours forth a continued strain of modulations 

 for the half-hour together. 



