314 BliYTH ON THE BRITISH FRUIT-EATING WARBLERS. 



ing notes, not unlike the song of the swallow, and raising his voice by 

 degrees, through a series of charming and most delightful modulations, 

 many of which closely resemble parts of the nightingale's song, he ends 

 with the full rich whistle of the blackbird, but delivered in a more 

 hurried cadence. This species certainly possesses several of the night- 

 ingale's notes, but those of the blackbird predominate ; the song is 

 nevertheless perfectly original, and is uttered in a more lively and 

 animated manner than the songs of either of those birds. He continues 

 singing usually about three or four minutes, when he stops as if to take 

 breath, and almost immediately commences again ; deep, rich, and 

 mellow, his lovely warble is heard nearly throughout the day, and 

 occasionally even after sunset ; singing nearly throughout the summer, 

 and often both beginning and ending with the same loud blackbird 

 notes. As in all other birds, some individuals are much finer songsters 

 than others. 



The blackcap (F. alricapilla) is another charming warbler, com- 

 moner, and also better known than the preceding bird. His powers of 

 melody, however, are appreciated by very few, being generally placed 

 to the credit of some other bird ; by many the blackcap's notes are con- 

 founded with the " livelier summer song " of the redbreast ; others, and 

 not a few, actually consider them to proceed from the blackbird. The 

 summer song of the redbreast, however, though undoubtedly more lively 

 than its winter notes, is by no means so sprightly and animated as that 

 of the blackcap ; there is always a plaintiveness in its ditty, by which it 

 may be at once distinguished from the latter bird. " The note of 

 the blackcap," says Mr. White, " has such a wild sweetness, that it 

 always brings to my mind those lines in a song in ' As You Like It/ 



" ' And tune his merry throat 

 Unto the wild bird's note.' 



Shakspeare." 



And indeed if the idea which is conveyed by that simple and pretty 

 couplet be embodied ever in a " wild bird's note," it is, I think, that 

 of the blackcap only which does it justice. The same author correctly 

 observes, in another place, that (i the blackcap, has, in common, 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 a great variety of soft and gentle modulations, 

 superior, perhaps, to those of any of our warblers, the nightingale 

 excepted." These charming and delicate warblings of the blackcap are 



