PERCHING BIRDS. 77 



our friend the very friend of our hearts. We used to 

 throng to the prison bars to listen and to treasure his 

 loving plaint. Ah ! fond fool ! he and his tender ditty 

 awakened suspicions amongst the police that we had 

 communicated with the outer world a blessing, indeed, 

 which they trusted had ended for us. They shouted 

 with their voices and hurled sticks, but in the evening 

 the little nightingale came again and again with his song 

 of solace to us ; but his sympathy for patriotism brought 

 his doom he was shot !" 



As a songster, the Blackcap (S. atricapilla) is, I 

 think, only second to the preceding species, and well 

 deserves its name of mock nightingale. There is an in- 

 expressible charm about its song, which is wildly sweet 

 and very varied, partaking of the notes of the nightin- 

 gale, thrush, blackbird, and garden warbler. It pours 

 forth a flood of rich melody, not confined to any set 

 song, but giving a play to his fancy, like the minstrel's 

 fingers wandering amidst his harp-strings, 



" In varying cadence, soft or strong, 

 He swept the sounding chords along." 



This species frequents the gardens along the side of the 

 stream in the village where I have found its nest ; but 

 it is not confined to such localities, for I have met with 

 it in the wildest parts of the forest, where the dwarf 

 hawthorns are favourite stations of the male from which 

 to pour forth his song. I have seldom seen more than 

 a pair inhabiting one spot. The pleasure grounds at 

 Thoresby are much frequented by them. 



These grounds and the adjoining shrubberies are also 

 resorted to by the Garden Warbler (S. hortensis), whose 

 sweet and flute-like song is scarcely inferior to the black- 

 cap ; indeed, I think it excels it in fulness and richness 



