The Blackcap. 



273 



and also on caterpillars. When surprised in the act of feeding 

 the nestlings, they bound off to a tree not far away, and utter, 

 in a loud and rapid manner, their usual call note, "tack, tack." 

 The Blackcap is a gentle, harmless bird, but appears to be much 

 attached to its young, and exhibits considerable fear on its nest 

 being approached. 



Methods of Capture. — The old birds are exceedingly wary, 

 and difficult to ensnare. After the breeding season, they may 

 be taken in spring traps, baited with ripe currants, elder berries, 

 ripe cherries, or caterpillars ; or mealworms may be used when 

 any of the before- mentioned are not readily procurable. The 

 sides of the trap should be well covered with thick cloth, or 

 saddler's felt, so that no injury may be done to the birds. Old 

 birds will not take the bait unless driven to do so by hunger ; 

 they are very suspicious, and will hover about the trap for a 

 considerable time before they venture near it. The young 

 birds are not nearly so suspicious or cautious, and, conse- 

 quently, are more easily caught. Blackcaps may also be taken 

 with limed twigs, and this plan often proves more successful 

 than the spring trap. The place selected should be cleared 

 of grass, &c., and the earth dug up ; a few mealworms or berries 

 should then be strewed about, and the twigs carefully placed. 

 In the spring, on their arrival in this country, these birds are 

 occasionally taken with the day net. 



When newly-caught, the best foods to tempt them to eat are 

 elder berries and mealworms, placed in a small glass vessel inside 

 the cage. If the birds are very young, they will probably need 

 to be hand-fed for several days. The same method of treatment 

 as recommended for Nightingales should be resorted to with 

 these birds. When once they begin to feed, they will soon 

 become settled and cheerful. 



Food and Treatment. — The natural food of Blackcaps is-, 

 insects and their larvae ; they likewise feed on fruit and 

 berries. They eat cherries and ripe currants greedily, as well 

 as strawberries, raspberries, and elder berries, and, when these are 

 not procurable, spurge (a species of laured), laurel, service, 

 and ivy berries. 



In confinement, they may have bread and milk (scalded, 

 not boiled), mealworms, and ants' eggs. In the summer time, 

 they should have a plentiful supply of ripe fruit, especially 

 during the period of the moult ; and a spider or two, given 



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