328 SUMMER. 



pleasure they afford by the songs that accompany their 

 labours. Those who sustain the injury are apt to com- 

 plain at this ; but we are very much inclined to believe 

 that, independently of the beauty of the birds and their 

 music, they are the benefactors. 



As is the case with most birds of passage, the male 

 blackcaps arrive at least two weeks before the females ; 

 the period of their arrival being from the beginning to 

 the middle of April, and that of the females from the 

 middle to the end of the same month. The appear- 

 ance of one or two of these, or, indeed, of any other 

 summer birds, must not be taken as evidence that 

 there has been an arrival ; for there are generally a 

 few that remain through the winter, even in places far 

 to the north. Probably, indeed, there are more that 

 remain in such places than in places that are more 

 southerly, as the broods there are late, and it may be 

 presumed that the birds that remain are those of late 

 broods ; or, even if we suppose that they are birds that 

 have been sickly, the case is still the same, as these 

 would be the least capable of the longest journey. 



Soon after the males arrive they begin what may be 

 termed their try calls, which, in their case, are a note 

 or two of the song, sometimes the beginning, and at 

 other times the end ; sometimes it is a different note, 

 but one who has attended to them can easily tell what 

 bird utters it. This call is understood to be repeated at 

 times, till the females answer, and then the pairing 

 commences, the males being in full song. The nest 

 is generally well concealed in thick bushes a few feet 

 from the ground. It is a simple structure of dry 

 roots, grass, and fibres, lined with wool, hair, or even 



