34 OUR MIGRANT BIRDS 



anxiety note, " kek-kek," and another, " tse-tse," 

 somewhat like one of the Blue Tit's utterances. 



Habits. Closely resembling the last, extremely rest- 

 less, and a great skulker when alarmed, not easily 

 flushed from nest. Flight undulating, with quickly 

 beating and somewhat feeble agitations of the wings. 



Food. Insects and their larvae principally ; in- 

 ordinately fond of raspberries and currants. 



Nest. May onwards. 



Site. In thick hedges, brambles, and other bushes , 

 not so low down as last, and always well concealed. 



Materials. Bents and rootlets, neatly intertwined 

 with cobwebs, lined with finer materials and horseha.r ; 

 cup shallower than last. 



Eggs. Four to five. Dull or creamy white, spotted 

 and blotched with slate or purplish grey and olive-brown ; 

 often zoned ; variable. 



BLACKCAP (Sylvia atricapilla) . 



April to September ; sometimes winters here. Rather 

 local, but found in most counties. Rarer in Scotland 

 and Ireland. 



Haunts. Thickets and wild places, abounding in 

 tangles of brambles and the like ; also gardens. 



Plumage. Head above eyes jet-black. Throat, chin, 

 and flanks ash-grey ; upper parts grey, tinged with 

 olive ; under parts ash-grey, paler on abdomen. Bill 

 horn-brown. Legs lead-colour. Length 5| in. Fe- 

 male : chocolate-brown head, and rather browner 

 colour generally. Young : like female until the young 

 male assumes the black head. 



