46 OUR SUMMER MIGRANTS. 



and Middlesex should entice such numbers of 

 these little birds to remain in their vicinity 

 throughout the summer. 



The Blackcap {Sylvia atricapilld) is the ear- 

 liest of the genus to make his appearance, 

 and seems to be hardier also than any of his 

 congeners. Many instances are on record of 

 Blackcaps having remained in this country 

 throughout the winter, and this has been 

 noticed as particularly the case in Ireland. It 

 is rather singular that Mr. Yarrell, in referring 

 to the sister isle, says that the Blackcap " has 

 been taken, once at least, in the north of Ire- 

 land," as if he were of opinion that its occurrence 

 there were doubtful, or at least extremely rare. 

 Mr. Thompson, in his excellent " Natural His- 

 tory of Ire-land" (vol. i. p. 183}, notices the 

 Blackcap as a regular sumrher visitant there ; 

 but he adds that it must be considered very 

 local. In Scotland it is considered rare, being 

 confined chiefly to the south ; but since the 

 observations were published from which these 

 remarks are drawn, considerable changes seem 



