82 THE BIRDS OF BERKS AND BUCKS. 



the ground in a laurel. I took out, on successive 

 days, four eggs, one by one, and each morning the 

 hen laid a new egg, thus proving she will not easily 

 desert her nest. 



BLACKCAP (Curruca atricapilld}. This charming 

 Warbler, second only to the Nightingale, is a regular 

 summer visitor, reaching this country in April and 

 leaving in September, although a few in some years 

 remain until October. This bird is not so common 

 as many of the other Warblers in either county, 

 although generally dispersed. 



The eggs of the Blackcap are subject to much 

 variety, some resemblng those of the Garden Warbler, 

 others those of the Tree Pipit. The nest is generally 

 placed in a low bush or hedge, about three feet from 

 the ground. The male bird occasionally relieves the 

 female during the process of incubation ; I have more 

 than once seen a male on the nest, in which position 

 the bird has occasionally been heard to sing. The 

 Blackcap is partial to wooded and enclosed districts, 

 rarely being observed on commons or tracts of waste 

 and open land. 



GARDEN WARBLER (Curruca hortensis). Gene- 

 rally dispersed, but by no means so numerous as 

 either the Blackcap or Common and Lesser White- 

 throats. 



It reaches these counties towards the end of April, 

 quitting them again in September. As its name 

 implies, it frequents gardens, and is of very retiring 



