SYLVIAD/E. 105 



for, in spite of the severe weather in March, I 

 noticed some arrivals much earlier than usual. It 

 leaves us again in September, though Yarrell says 

 there are instances of its being obtained and heard 

 in the neighbourhood of London, Bristol, and other 

 western localities in winter ; and an instance is men- 

 tioned, in the 'Zoologist' for 1866, of a female 

 Blackcap being shot in Ireland in December. 



The food of the Blackcap is varied : on its first 

 arrival it feeds greedily on ivy-berries, but it after- 

 wards forsakes this food for insects,* small cater- 

 pillars, chrysalids and occasionally worms : to these 

 may be added certain fruits, particularly cherries, 

 elder-berries and blackberries.f 



The nest is placed in low bushes and shrubs and 

 brambles ; it is formed of grass and fine roots, woven 

 together with a little hair or wool and lined with 

 hair. 



The beak of the' Blackcap is dark horn-colour; 

 hides dark brown ; the whole of the upper part of 

 the head is black, whence its name ; sides of the 

 throat and ear-coverts grey ; all the upper parts are 

 grey, with a slight tinge of pale olive-green; the 

 quills brownish grey ; tail the same ; throat and all 

 the under parts white, with a tinge of grey darkest 

 on the breast ; legs and toes lead-colour ; claws 



* Montagu's Dictionary, by Newman, 

 f Meyer's ' British Birds,' vol. i., p 104. 



