AVES=BLACK-CAP. 513 
brown, tinged with olive; the under parts are of a pale ash color, almost 
white at the throat and belly. But in his song he surpasses all the choristers 
of the air, his notes being exquisitely varied, soft, and harmonious, and ren- 
dered still more pleasing by their being poured forth in the night, when-the 
other warblers are all silent. They begin their song in the evening, and 
generally continue for the whole night. For weeks together, if undisturbed, 
they sit upon the same tree; and Shakspeare rigntly describes the nightin 
gale, sitting nightly in the same place. In a calm evening, he may be heard 
to the distance of more than half a mile. 
In the beginning of May, the nightingale prepares to make its nest, which 
18 formed of the leaves of trees, straw, and moss. The nest, being very 
eagerly sought after, is as cunningly secreted ; so that but very few of them 
are found by the boys when they go upon these pursuits. It is built at the 
bottom of hedges, where the bushes are thickest and best covered. While 
the female continues sitting, the male, at a good distance, but always within 
hearing, cheers the patient hour with his voice, and, by the short interruption 
of his song, often gives her warning of approaching danger. She lays four 
or five eggs; of which but a part, in England, come to maturity. 
The delicacy, or rather the fame, of this bird’s music, has induced many 
to abridge its liberty, to secure its harmony. Its song, however, in captivity, 
1s not so very alluring; and the tyranny of taking it from these hedges, 
where only it is most pleasing, still more depreciates its imprisoned efforts. 
Gesner assures us, that it is not only the most agreeable songster in a cage 
but that it is possessed of a most admivable faculty of talking. 
THE BLACK-C.AP.1 
Tuts bird is rather more than five inches in length, and is of the titmouse 
kind. The upper mandible is of a dark horn color, the under one light 
blue, and the edges of both whitish ; the top of the head is black, from which 
circumstance it derives its name; the sides of the head and back of the neck 
are ash color; the back and wings of an olive gray ; the throat and breast 
of a silvery gray; the belly white; the legs are of a bluish color, inclining 
to brown; the claws black. The head of the female is of a dull rust color 
1 Sylvia atricapilla, Latu. 
65 
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