224 THE BLACKCAP. 



berries, and they are also dried, in order that he may have some in winter, 

 soaked in water, which is found very good for his health. He is a great 

 eater, and when at liberty in the bird room partakes of everything, meat, 

 bread, and even vegetables. As he is generally caught in the autumn he 

 is soon accustomed to artificial food, by having elderberries and meal 

 worms mixed with it for several successive days. He is fond of bathing, 

 and must be always well supplied with fresh water. 



BREEDING This species generally lays but once a year, occasionally 



twice, and even thrice. His nest, placed near the ground, generally in a 

 hedge or bush of whitethorn, is hemispherical, solid, and well built ; the 

 outside of stalks, deserted cocoons, and stubble, the inside of fine soft hay, 

 mixed with hair. It contains from four to six eggs, of a yellowish white 

 mottled with yellow and spotted with brown. The young are fed with 

 small caterpillars, insects, and currants ; those which are brought up by 

 hand are fed with white bread and milk. The charming tone of their 

 voice gives to their own song, as well as to that of the nightingale and 

 canary, which they easily learn to imitate, a sweetness and grace which are 

 enchanting. Before moulting there is so little difference between the 

 young males and females that it requires great skill to distinguish them, 

 for the cap of the former is only a slight shade darker of olive brown, and 

 the back a greyish brown, rather more tinted with olive ; but on the first 

 moulting the head of the male begins to blacken first behind the beak, 

 while that of the female retains its original colour, except that it becomes 

 more bright and distinct. When it is wished to ascertain the sex of these 

 young birds, the best plan is to pull out a few brown feathers from the 

 head ; if it is a male, black ones will come up in their place, and thus 

 there will be no danger of taking females by mistake ; these, however, 

 would soon be known, because the males begin to warble as soon as they 

 are able to fly and feed themselves. 



DISEASES. The blackcap is subject to the same diseases as the nightin- 

 gale, but is more frequently attacked by decline. As soon as the symptoms 

 appear he must be fed with a great many meal worms and ants' eggs, and 

 his drinking water must be impregnated with iron, by putting a nail into 

 it. Those which are left to run about the room are apt to lose their 

 feathers. Under such circumstances they must be caged, and exposed to 

 the warmth of the sun or the fire ; they must be well fed, especially with 

 the food given to nightingales ; these methods generally restore them, and 

 their feathers are gradually renewed. A tepid bath, repeated for two or 

 three days, is very likely to help their development. In epileptic or 

 paralytic attacks I make them swallow, with great success, two or three 

 drops of olive oil ; I lately had the pleasure of seeing the success of this 

 remedy on a bird of this species suffering from an apoplectic fit, and which 

 dragged his little paralysed foot about the room where he lived uncaged ; 

 he is now quite recovered, very gay, and active ; his song was never before 

 so delightful to me. These birds generally live in captivity as long as 

 nightingales. 



MODES OF TAKING. Every taste but that of the palate must be destroyed 

 if this charming bird is caught for the table. Besides, it is by no means 

 numerous ; but if it is desired as an ornament to the house, snares baited 



