398 BRITISH BIRDS. 
Shy and wary as the Blackcap is, still in the nesting-season it is 
often most trustful, or, rather, allows its love for its eggs and young 
to master its otherwise shy disposition. When the old birds are sitting 
(either the male or female, for both may be observed to do so), they will 
allow a very near approach ere gliding from the nest. When thus 
disturbed the parent bird, especially if it be the female, manifests its 
displeasure by uttering harsh hissing notes, and will sometimes approach 
within a few feet of the observer, with feathers ruffled, full of anger at 
his intrusion. Dixon has more than once observed the male Blackcap 
sing when sitting on the eggs; and he was often led by the cock bird’s 
song to the nest; for the bird warbles some of his loudest strains from 
the twigs that support it. It is doubtful if the Blackcap rears more than 
one brood in the year; but should the first nest be destroyed, the old 
birds will renew their attempts to rear a brood, usually building a fresh 
nest close to the site of the previous one. 
Although the Blackcap feeds to a very great extent on insects, these 
are by no means its only food. It is probably more of a fruit and berry 
feeder than any other of our Warblers ; and it is doubtless owing to this 
circumstance that the bird occasionally remains in our islands through the 
winter. In addition to insects it feeds on all kinds of garden fruit, such 
as currants, raspberries, and gooseberries, and also on cherries ; and after 
these fruits are over, it eats the berries of the ivy and the mountain-ash. 
Upon its arrival here in April the Blackcap may sometimes be seen re- 
galing on the last year’s ivy-berries which still remain. Its young are 
largely fed on caterpillars and grubs ; and it is sometimes seen to pursue 
and capture au insect on the wing. It is said by Irby to feed on the 
seeds of the “ pepper-tree” (Schinus molle) ; and Kriper states that in 
July and August, when the figs are ripe, it comes in great numbers to the 
trees. 
The Blackeap ceases to sing as soon as the young are hatched; and it 
is consequently difficult to determine the precise date of its departure. 
A great many Blackcaps undoubtedly leave our shores in September— 
possibly all our indigenous birds, except the few stragglers tempted to 
remain during the winter; and it may be observed that the males are the 
first to leave in autumn, as they are the first to arrive in spring. 
The Blackcap has the general colour of the upper parts bluish grey 
slightly suffused with olive-brown, especially on the margins of the quills 
and tail-feathers ; the forehead and the crown are black. The underparts 
are pale bluish grey, shading into white on the centre of the belly; the 
axillaries and the under wing-coverts are white. Bill dark brown ; legs, 
feet, and claws bluish grey ; irides hazel. The female differs from the 
male in having the black on the head replaced by rusty brown. After the 
autumn moult the upper parts in both sexes are more suffused with brown, 
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