THE BLACKCAP. 373 



to that of the Common Nightingale. This bird, however, 

 possesses the advantage of being generally a night-singer, a 

 peculiarity which, though highly valued in the Common Night- 

 ingale, is by no means universal. Its song is so sonorous, as 

 to be hardly pleasant in a room, and it is therefore advisable 

 to hang the cage outside the window. Its call is also different 

 from that of the Common Nightingale, being See glach arrr ! 

 or, according to some, David and Jacob (Daveet, Jakob}. 



The Greater Nightingale is never found in Thuringia. It 

 may occasionally be seen in Silesia, Bohemia, Pomerania, and 

 in the neighbourhood of Wittenbergh, Halle, and Dessau ; 

 and in many parts of Austria, Poland, and Hungary, is of 

 more frequent occurrence than the Common Nightingale. They 

 are usually brought into Saxony from Vienna, and are there- 

 fore generally known by the name of Vienna Nightingales. Those 

 from Hungary are preferred to the Polish ones. The characte- 

 ristic by which they are distinguished is, that the former utter 

 the call, Daveet, or Jakob, only once, while the latter repeat it 

 several times in succession. In the neighbourhood of Thorn, 

 and on the banks of the Vistula, where both species are com- 

 mon, the Greater, or Polish, is known by the name of the 

 Saxon Nightingale. 



The Greater Nightingale generally frequents groves and 

 thickets, especially in the neighbourhood of water. In con- 

 finement they thrive on the same food as the Common Night- 

 ingale, but are not so delicate, and live longer. The nest 

 resembles that of the Common Nightingale, but the eggs are 

 larger, and clouded with olive brown. The Greater Nightingale 

 may be caught in the same manner as the preceding species, and 

 is subject to the same diseases. Both at the moulting season, 

 and in October and November, it is very delicate, and needs 

 an occasional spider or woodlouse, as a restorative. The best 

 remedy, however, is a drop or two of the Golden Tincture of 

 Halle, mixed with its water. 



147. THE BLACKCAP. 



Silvia, or Motacilla Atricapilla, LIN. Fauvette a tete noir, BUF. 

 Der Monchj oder die Schwarlczopfige Grasmuche. 



Description. This bird, which is surpassed by very few in 

 the excellence of its song, is called in Germany the Monk, 



