THE BLACKCAP. 



Sylvia atricapilla (Linnaeus). 

 Plate 5. 



The Blackcap reaches this country early in April, and usually leaves in 

 September, though it has been known to winter here. Abroad it is widely spread 

 over Europe during summer, from Scandinavia to the Mediterranean, being also 

 found in North Africa. It spends the winter in Central Africa. 



This bird is unobtrusive in its habits, and builds its nest of dead grasses and 

 bents, with a lining of horse-hair, in some shady bush. 



It feeds on insects, fruit, and berries. 



The Blackcap's beautiful song has been truly described by White of Selborne as 

 " a full, sweet, deep, loud, and wild pipe ; yet that strain is of short continuance 

 and his motions are desultory ; but when that bird sits calmly and engages in song 

 in earnest, he pours forth very sweet, but inward melody, and expresses great 

 variety of soft and gentle modulations, superior perhaps to those of any of our 

 Warblers, the Nightingale excepted." 



This passage has been often quoted, but it stands unrivalled as the best descrip- 

 tion of the Blackcap's song. 



Unlike its congeners, the female Blackcap is larger than the male. 



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