160 THE BLACKCAP. 



though it remains in our gardens or orchards as long as 

 any of its favorite fruits continue, it avoids observation 

 as much as possible, and hides itself in the foliage from 

 all familiarity or confidence. This exceeding dislike 

 of man is very extraordinary. Larger or more important 

 birds might have an instinctive fear of violence ; but 

 this creature is too small and insignificant to have ever 

 experienced or to apprehend injuries from him. It may 

 arise from a long residence in wilds and solitary places, 

 seldom visited by human beings, during those eight or 

 nine months when it is absent from us, so that man be- 

 comes an unknown creature, and injury is suspected. 

 Our native small birds, that reside all the year with us, 

 and see us often, though they may retire at our near 

 approach, do not exhibit such shyness and avoidance as 

 several of our migrating birds. The gray flycatcher, 

 and the swallow tribe, which seek their food, we con- 

 clude, all the year near the dwellings of man, where 

 most abundantly found, manifest familiarity with us 

 rather than dislike, are accustomed to the sight of 

 human beings, and do not fear them ; but whatever 

 may be the cause that influences the precipitate retreat 

 of certain birds, we note the original mandate, and see 

 that the " fear of us, and the dread of us," are still in 

 operation with many of these little " fowls of the air," 

 that would never receive harm from our hands. The 

 blackcap finishes its feast here with the jargonel pear, 

 when it can meet with it, then leaves us for other fruits 

 and milder climes. 



" And the fear of you, and the dread of you, shall 

 be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl 

 of the air, and upon all that moveth upon the earth." 

 This vesture of universal dread, which was to envelop 

 man, though appointed from the beginning of. time, has 

 never been removed, but most signally and remarkably 

 attaches to him still. It was ordained to be so ; and so 

 it is. In some few instances only does this awe of man 

 subside : in extreme cases of want, for individual 

 preservation, or when protection is required. In such 

 cases, the fear or sensibility of pain, love of life, or a 

 paramount duty, becomes the stronger principle, anni- 



