162 



KIDD'S OWN JOURNAL. 



the necessity of the occasion. As for his 

 return in the spring — we can speak to a 

 point about that. We have noticed the 

 arrival of the same birds, and have seen 

 them take possession of the same territories, 

 year after year. We have recognised them 

 by the singularity of certain notes — obser- 

 vable in them, but not in their tribe gene- 

 rally ; and by their peculiar mode of giving 

 utterance to the notes to which we par- 

 ticularly allude. We have made similar 

 accurate observations with respect to the 

 nightingale. A knowledge of these pleasing 

 facts, causes us always to look forward to 

 the month of April with real delight. The 

 reunion with such lovely visitors, is a treat 

 worth waiting for. 



The male black -cap is distinguishable 

 from the hen, by his hood, or cap, being 

 jet black. The hen has a brown cap, and 

 has altogether a more dingy appearance than 

 the male, who always makes " the most of 

 himself." The plumage of these birds is so 

 delicately fine, its texture so silky — that 

 when caught wild, and placed in a cage, 

 they often disfigure themselves sadly, and 

 can only be valued for their song. Their 

 natural food consists of flies, gnats, spiders, 

 caterpillars, and insects generally. 



Like the nightingale, these birds never, 

 or very rarely, breed in confinement. It 

 would be contrary to nature, were they to 

 do so ; but their innate disposition is so 

 joyous, the resources of their " minds " are 

 so inexhaustible, that we consider it, of the 

 two, far less cruel to keep them in cages. 

 They feel happy anywhere — are cheerful, 

 and of amiable habits ; and if " petted," 

 which of course they should be, are staunch 

 in their attachments. 



Thus have we prefaced the natural history 

 of our hero. We have not given him a false 

 character, nor shall we attempt to do so. 

 We shall have much to say of him ; and if 

 we only tell one half what we know, we shall 

 obtain him a ready entrance into all families 

 who can estimate his value. 



NOTES OF A NATURALIST. 



A VISIT TO BRIMHAM ROCKS. 



The year 1852 will be long remembered 

 for the excessive heat of its spring, during 

 which there were no fewer than thirteen 

 weeks of hot dry weather. Toward the end 

 of March, on one of the hottest of these 

 days, I left, after an early breakfast, the little 

 market town of Ripon, en route for Brim- 

 ham, with the double purpose of examining 

 the rocks, and procuring a few botanical 

 specimens. 



For the greater part of the way the forma • 

 tion is of soft magnesian limestone, a very 



warm, and by no means an unproductive 

 rock. Being yet early in the season, few 

 flowers were out in the hedge-bottoms ; but 

 what were out, made up in their beauty for 

 the want of variety ; and talking of variety, 

 what need of a livelier contrast than that 

 afforded by two plants then profusely abun- 

 dant, the golden Pile wort, Ranunculus 

 Ficaria, and the blue-flowered, sweet-breathed 

 violet, Viola odorata. 



My old favorite, the blue tit-mouse, was 

 playing at " hide and seek " with linnets and 

 robins. One or two wood-pigeons flew over 

 my head; and ever and anon a sable rook 

 went " cawing " past, followed perhaps ere 

 long by a lively group of starlings, who would 

 settle on some grass field, and industriously 

 rid the ground of grubs and worms. Pro- 

 ceeding a little further, my notice was 

 attracted by a green plover, who uttered her 

 plaintive cry, and swept round and round in 

 gracefully-undulating curves. The woolly 

 leaves of the fox-glove were visibly increas- 

 ing in size, and the leaves of the honey- 

 suckle, ciliated and tinged with delicate red, 

 were bursting into life. The "deathless 

 ivy " filled up gaps in the hedges ; and the 

 modest chickweed gave verdure to the wall 

 foot. Near Grantly Lodge, about four miles 

 from Ripon, a brace of partridges flew with a 

 scur from the wood-side, and were speedily 

 out of harm's way. 



The country in the vicinity of Brimham 

 is peculiarly wild. From the rocks we com- 

 mand a view of almost endless moors, which, 

 at that season, had a black and forbidding 

 aspect, very different from that assumed in 

 June or July, when the "bonnie heather 

 bell," and the soft cotton grass, and a hun- 

 dred little plants and flowers, relieve the 

 gloom. Leaving, then, the contemplation of 

 the vast wilderness of Nidderdale, let us turn 

 from the main road, and by a lane begin the 

 ascent of the hill ; passing to the left a small 

 plantation of larches, which, of all forest 

 trees, look worst in winter. 



We are now a short distance from the 

 object of our search, and on the surface of a 

 flat-topp'd, heath-clad hill, behold apparently 

 the remains of some extensive fortification. 

 Nor is our wonder lessened as we draw 

 nearer, and attentively examine the masses. 



To attempt to describe the masses pre- 

 sented to our view, would be useless. Here 

 we have a huge pillar, some thirty feet high, 

 crowned with ling and blackberry. There, 

 we have a gigantic chair, large enough for any 

 of the fable-giants, even of Ireland ; another 

 stone somewhat resembles a table, and an- 

 other a boat. Some are scooped out into 

 basins and caves ; and others bear, at a 

 little distance, no inapt resemblance to human 

 figures. One, especially, attracted my notice. 

 It was a mass standing about twenty feet 



