BLACKCAP 



and a note, which I call the mating note, a low gurgling 

 sound, is frequently used by both of them. The male is the 

 more demonstrative of the two, and when near the female he 

 will sometimes raise and quietly flap his wings. They are 

 never separate for very long, but sometimes each travels in 

 his or her own direction in search of food. If, however, 

 the male sings, a reply — the call-note of the species — will 

 generally be forthcoming from the female. On the other 

 hand, they will often travel within a few feet of one another, 

 searching for the ChironomidcB, or flying off and on to the 

 ivy berries, the flies not being sufficient to satisfy their 

 hunger. Periodical outbursts of excitement on the part of 

 the male are not uncommon ; the cause is often difficult 

 to ascertain, but sometimes it is quite apparent; when, for 

 instance, there is excitement amongst the different indi- 

 viduals of his own or other closely allied species. When 

 two male Garden-Warblers have been excitedly following one 

 another, hopping about amongst the undergrowth, I have 

 seen a male Blackcap join them. The three then proceeded 

 to hop about, keeping close together and warbling quietly, 

 the effect being very pretty. 



Such is the life between the time that pairing has taken 

 place and the commencement of the nest, a time which varies 

 in individual cases from a few hours to a day or perhaps 

 more. 



When watching a pair during this period it would be a 

 simple matter to describe the affection or devotion that 

 apparently exists between them, but such a description 

 would be misleading. As previously indicated, I believe that 

 the guiding factor of the actions of the male, not so much 

 perhaps of the female, at this period is the sexual passion. 

 I am doubtful whether such an emotion as affection, using 

 the term in the sense applied to human personality, in- 

 fluences their actions in any degree, or, indeed, even exists. 

 There are many birds that pair for life, and there are some 

 that apparently pine for a lost mate, and these facts seem 



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