42 



BLACKCAP. 



bers during the summer months, and that they breed there, we must 

 not consider the variety observed in their feathers as a step towards the 

 perfect razor-bill ; for there are others of the same class whose varieties 

 are equally obscure. There would be no difficulty in supposing- that 

 the old razor-bill throws off the black feathers on the sides of the head, 

 throat, and fore part of the neck, as well as the white feathers that con- 

 stitute the line from the bill to the eye, on the approach of winter ; that 

 being- nothing- to those changes we notice in the wagtails, the ptarmigan, 

 and several other species; but we cannot reconcile so unusual a change of 

 plumage as would be requisite to connect the razor-bill and the Black- 

 billed Auk as one species, when other obstinate facts seem infallibly to 

 keep them distinct. See Razor Bill. 



BLACKBONNET (Emberiza schceniclus^m^ jeus.) — A name for 

 the Reed Sparrow. 



BLACKCAP (Sylvia atricapilla, Latham.) 



Motacilla atricapilla, Linn. Syst. 1. p. 332. IS.—Gmel. Syst. 2. p. 970.— Mota- 

 cilla mosquita, Gmel. Syst. the female. — Atricapilla seu ficedula, Aldrov. 

 Raii, Syst. p. 79. A. 8.— Will. p. 162. t. 41.— Sylvia atricapilla, Ind. 

 Orn. 2. p. 508. 6.— La Fauvette a tete noire, Buff. 5. p. 125. t. 8. f. 1.— 

 Becfin a tete noire, Temm. 1. p. 201.— Blackcap, Br. Zool. 1. No. 148.— Ib. 

 fol. 101. t. 8. f. 5.— Arct. Zool. 2. p. 418. F. — Will. (Angl.) p. 226.— Lath. 

 Syn. 4. p. 415. b.—Selby, p. 174.— Lewin, Br. Birds, 3. t. 116.— Wale. Syn. 

 2. t. 234.— Pult. Cat. Dorset, p. 9.— Fleming, Br. Anim. p. 70.— Curruca 

 atricapilla, Briss. 3. p. 380. 6.— lb. 8vo. 1. p. 416.— Bewick, 1. 217. 



* It does not appear to me that the provincial names of Mock-night- 

 ingale, Nettle-creeper, Nettle-monger, are ever applied to the Black- 

 cap, but to the White-throat and the Fauvette. * 



This species of warbler weighs about four drams and a half : length 

 nearly six inches. The bill is brown ; irides dark hazel. The upper 

 part of the head in the male is black, the hind part of the neck cinereous 

 brown ; back greyish brown with a tinge of green : the quill-feathers and 

 tail dusky, edged with dull green ; breast and upper part of the belly 

 light ash colour ; legs lead colour. 



The female, * mistaken by Gmelin for a distinct species, * is distin- 

 guished from the other sex by the crown of the head, which is of a dull 

 rust colour ; she is also superior in size. 



The Blackcap is a migrative species, visiting us early in the spring, 

 and retiring in September ; it frequents woods and thick hedges, and 

 seems particularly partial to orchards and gardens, where it delights us 

 with its charming melodious song, which is very little inferior to that 

 of the nightingale, except in variety of notes. *This, however, con- 

 tinues only during the period of incubation, for this bird wastes no time 

 in amusements, but appears in haste to accomplish the object of its visit, 



