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THE BLACKCAP. 

 (Sylvia atricapilla.) 



The Blackcap prefers the underwood, particularly where 

 higher trees stand solitary ; it also nests in gardens, even 

 in the public gardens of large towns, where it feeds on 

 all kinds of insects, and so it serves wood and garden 

 equally well. It leads a happy family life, and during 

 its courting days the little wooer is full of joyous song. 

 The song is simple, and does not approach that of the 

 Nightingale in our opinion, although others say it does ; 

 it certainly cannot express so many phases of feeling, 

 but it is as lovely and joyous as that of a merry child. 

 It is heard first from one side, of the bush, and then 

 from the other, and it carries delight into the heart of 

 the listener. Hoffman represents the song of the 

 Blackcap by the syllables " Rutia, ruetidi-rutia, tuedili, 

 tuedia." Its mating call is "Take, take, take," the 

 warning cry " Rarr." Towards autumn this bird eats 

 all kinds of berries from the bushes elderberries, black- 

 berries, and others ; in the garden it picks currants, 

 without, however, doing any serious mischief, or being 

 able to do so, for its principal food is composed of 

 insects. 



The bird-catchers ensnare it on account of its charming 

 song. They cover its cage with greenery, so that it may 

 imagine itself in the underwood, and thus the poor 

 thing lives and learns the songs of other captive birds. 



The Blackcap loves our old English hedgerows, about 

 which it can find all its necessary insect food and also 

 good cover. It is not a very commonlv distributed bird 



