THE BLACKCAP. 
681 
young males of the year already begin to try their hands 
at singing in August and September. 
The Blackcap, inhabiting the whole of Central Europe, 
frequents alike, pine forest, greenwood, grove, and garden ; 
and everyone who knows the bird, appreciates its value. 
Its habits much resemble those of the Whitethroat, 
denoting its close relationship with that species. But 
rarely still, it hops from twig to twig with lightness 
and activity, creeping amongst trees and bushes with its 
breast well lowered, spying right and left, jerking its tail, 
and slowly raising the feathers of the head, if it sees 
anything alarming, until satisfied. In the morning 
hours the Blackcap is fond of sunning itself on some 
open branch or twig; at other times it creeps and crawls 
incessantly amongst the thickest bushes. It shows no 
fear of man, but, on the contrary, looks upon him rather 
as a protector, in whom it can put trust; it also lives on 
the best of terms with other animals. It feeds, as do the 
rest of its genus, on insects of every description and in 
every stage of development,—such as small beetles, 
butterflies, flies, gnats, caterpillars, and the like; besides 
these it is very fond of all kinds of berries, for which it 
hunts with assiduity,—such as bird-cherries, currants, 
elderberries, raspberries, blackberries, the fruit of the 
mountain-ash, &c.; it will even swallow the poisonous 
kernels of some berries with impunity, because they are 
cast up again as soon as the fleshy portions are digested. 
The Blackcap builds its artless nest in the month of 
May: constructed of dead grass, it is placed amongst 
bushes, and but ill-concealed from view; indeed, it is 
more often very much exposed, and rarely is above the 
height of a man from the ground. When the nest is 
completed the female lays from four to five eggs, flesh- 
