CHATS, ROBINS AND WARBLERS 31 



ing a bird false, and serving only to draw 

 attention to what it is wished to conceal. 



Lesser whitethroats come to us every year, 

 and may be said to be fairly common in the 

 village. They are always shy and restless 

 and more frequently heard than seen. 



There was a lesser whitethroat's nest one 

 year (1898) in a holly bush, in which all five 

 young ones used to be, whenever I looked 

 at them, apparently sleepy, with their heads 

 shoved up over the side of the nest. They 

 never opened their mouths when we went 

 near, and yet often as I watched I never saw 

 the parents feed them. 



Blackcaps are not uncommon within easy 

 reach of us, but only twice have I seen one 

 actually in the garden. The first time the 

 unusual sound of its wonderfully clear note 

 attracted my attention was in July, 1899. 

 The bird stayed here then for several days, 

 singing occasionally all the while. The 

 second time a blackcap came was in May, 

 1903. It was in the garden for about ten 

 days, and I hoped it might be going to nest 

 here, especially as one day I thought I saw 

 a pair. 



I noticed a difference in habits between the 

 July bird and the one that came in May. In 

 July, when the joys and cares of family life 

 were over, there was more deliberation and 

 less shyness. I was able to watch the bird 

 easily and for a long time together. In May 



