506 



BLACKCAP. 



and secondaries being rather darker ; the rump and 

 tail as in the male bird, but not quite so bright. 



The male may be described briefly to resemble the 

 common redstart of this country, but is a tiirle larger, 

 and is without the distinct bar of white upon the tore- 

 head and the reddish brown plumage on the breast, 

 which distinguish that species. It much resembles it 

 also in habi', frequenting the vicinity of old trees and 

 various out-buildings, old park walls, and the ruins of 

 ancient castles, c., but is considerably less shy in 

 its disposition, and in the countries it inhabits plenti- 

 fully may often be seen pouring forth its song from 

 the" roof of a house or from the garden-wall, occasion- 

 wily darting off to snap at a passing insect, in the 

 manner of the various species of fly-catcheis. Its 

 notes closely resemble those of the common redstart, 

 but its song, though very similar, is more monotonous 

 and tiresome. Its food also is the same, consisting 

 of insects and their larvae, the former of which are 

 frequently taken on the wing. 



All the redstart genus are remarkable for a 

 singular manner of constantly shaking the tail. 

 In the present species the shake is different from 

 that of the common redstart of this country, which 

 latter is a slower motion, gradually dying away 

 in the course of three or four oscillations, each less 

 than the preceding one, and appearing exactly as 

 though the tail were loose, and ready to fall off. In 

 the tithys redstart the oscillations are quicker and of 

 Jess extent, not gradually dying away, but the last 

 shake being fully equal to the first. These birds never 

 alight on a spray without their tails moving in this 

 singular manner, which gives them a remarkable and 

 very characteristic appearance. The tithys redstart 

 appears to build less in the holes of trees than the 

 common species, but constructs its nest more in the 

 clefts of rocks, in holes of walls, and in other similar 

 situations, and is said to lay five or six eggs, of a 

 sjx)tless bluish white. 



BLACKCAP (Curruca atricapilla, Brisson). A 

 variety of small black-headed birds are designated in 

 different parts of Britain by the term Blackcap. The 

 great titmouse (Parusfringillago),thQ marsh titmouse 

 (P. paluslm}, the black-headed or reed bunting 

 (Emberiza schterdclus), the stonechat (Rubetra ruhir- 

 cola), and even the black-headed gull, are all fre- 

 quently called by this name ; but the bird which 

 by naturalists is universally recognised as the black- 

 cap is a species of fruit-eating warbler, or fauvette, 

 abundant in most parts of Europe, and which ex- 

 tends its summer migrations even to the inhospitable 

 shores of Lapland. Throughout Britain this is 

 well known as a summer bird of passage, and is 

 also one of the earliest to arrive, a tew sometimes 

 appearing in the southern counties about the middle 

 of March, reminding us, by their charming melody 

 from the leafless spray, that winter is on the wane, 

 urid summer and sunshine are at hand. It is a hand- 

 some species, thousrh plain and unassuming in its 

 garb ; being black upon the crown ; the back, wings, 

 and tail, greyish olive, with the back of the neck and 

 whole under parts pure ash-colour, paler on the 

 throat, and becoming white upon the belly. The legs 

 and feet are a dusky lead colour. The female is very 

 similar to the male, only that the crown of the head 

 is of a rusty hue ; and the young of the year resemble 

 the adult i'emale, the young males, however, being 

 rather smaller and darker coloured than the other sex. 



The blackcap is undoubtedly one of the finest of 



British song birds, and in some counties of England 

 is commonly known by the name of mock-nightingale, 

 from the similarity of parts of its song to some of the 

 notes of that celebrated bird. Sitting calmly, em- 

 bowered in thick foliage, his bosom resting on a 

 bough, he pours forth, without effort, u delightful flow 

 of soft and pleasing melody; then suddenly elevating 

 his voice, and raising the black feathers of his crown, 

 he warbles aloud a cheering, liquid strain, for which, 

 at least in these islands, he certainly stands unrivalled. 

 There are few unacquainted with this note, though 

 the blackcap does not always get the credit of it, 

 some attributing it to the blackbird, and others calling 

 it "the livelier summer strain'' of the robin redbreast. 

 It resembles the latter much more nearly than it does 

 the blackbird's song, but may always be at once 

 distinguished by its far more animated and lively 

 tone, being without any admixture of that peculiar 

 plaintiveness which ever characterises the song of 

 the robin. There is something inexpressibly sweet 

 in the common call-note of the blackcap to its nwte. 



The most favourite haunts of this bird are gardens 

 and orchards, though it is abundantly found wherever 

 trees and bushes grow together, passing most of its 

 time in the former, and usually selecting the latter 

 for nidification. The nest k sometimes placed near 

 the ground, amongst the herbage, or at the bottom of 

 a bush, but more frequently in a forked branch at four 

 or five feet from the ground, and sometimes at the 

 height of nine or ten feet. It is of a neat construction, 

 composed of the dried stems of grass, often put to- 

 gether with a little wool, and sometimes with a little 

 green moss on the outside ; the inside is lined with 

 fibrous roots, amongst which is usually placed some 

 horse-hair. The eggs are four or five in number, 

 generally of a pale reddish brown, mottled, or rather 

 stained with a deeper colour, and sometimes sprinkled 

 also with a few ash -coloured spots, chiefly at the 

 larger end ; but they are subject to much variation in 

 colour. About a fortnight is required to hatch them, 

 and both male and female perform the olh'ce of in- 

 cubation by turns. The young are, even from the 

 first, brought up chiefly on berries and fruit, whenever 

 such food can be obtained, but, in default of this, are 

 fed upon caterpillars, and various other insects. 



The adult blackcaps are strictly fructivorous, prefer- 

 ring fruit of all kinds to any other sort of food whatever, 

 and in confinement will thrive well, and sing, on this 

 alone. Even on their first arrival in the spring they 

 subsist qhielly on various berries, and of six, examined 

 in the beginning of April, one only contained in its 

 stomach the remains of insects, the others having been 

 feeding on the berries of privet and ivy. They may 

 nevertheless, however, be often observed examining 

 the trees and bushes for insect food. 



The blackcap is one of the hardiest of our summer 

 visitants. Lewin shot one in Kent in January, but 

 most probably this had passed the summer far to the 

 north. Of three or four dozen British migrating birds 

 that were kept in a room without a fire, two species 

 only, this and the tree pipit (Anthus orboretu\ sur- 

 vived the winter. There were four or five blackcaps, 

 and of these not one was lost. It is in confinement a 

 remarkably healthy species, and will do well on any 

 sort of food that is usually given to soft-billed birds, 

 but should not be allowed much meat. It rarely, 

 however, becomes very familiar, unless when taken 

 young, but often retains its wild and timid nature for 

 vears. 



