N I G H T I N G A L E .
been dinorered singing, or ou the spot where it was seeu, but few minutes usually elapse before the
capture is effected. At times, when dull weather or a passing cloud renders this shy and wary species
unwilling to move, a certain amount of judicious driving is resorted to. Some years back, while inspecting
the proceedings of two worthies who were working a couple of traps, I remarked, on one occasion after
shifting their ground, that n prisoner na- struggling iu each net before they had been placed iu position
above a couple of minutes. Prom a dozen to a score of males is, I believe, considered a good morning's work by
the birdeatchiug fraternity. In order to insure success, a warm, still, sunny morning is indispensable. A
cold wind not only affects the birds, causing them to skulk iu the cover, but also rapidly chills the meal-worms.
A torpid bait is by no means so effective as a lively writhing insect, whose contortions are supposed to be the
most attractive part of the performance. Nightingales invariably resort to the warmest and most sheltered
side of the wo >d or hedgerow where they arc enabled to enjoy the rays of the sun.
I have repeatedly remarked that shortly after their arrival, and before the females have made their
appearance, Nightingales sing almost continuously during the early morning, the note being heard with
scarcely a moment's intermission from (! till 9 A.M. There are certain districts in the interior of Sussex where
the country is interspersed with numerous plantations, the large timber mostly consisting of oak, with nn
abundant undergrowth of hazel and ash. The hedgerows are of thorn, and for the most part broad and thick
nnd allowed to grow in the old-fashioned style, the very brambles being also, as a rule, untrinimed. Though
this locality would scarcely Bud favour in the sight of some of our advanced agriculturists, it attracts au
immense number of Nightingales. On warm bright mornings towards the end of April I have listened to at
least half a dozen singing at the same time, the notes being heard on all sides almost incessantly. Shortly after
the arrival of the females, the numbers seem to decrease, at all events the birds are less frequently seen or
heard. As it is hardly possible that Nightingales could be suanil iu this district, I conclude that they arc fully
engaged iu making preparations for nesting during the early hours of the morning.
The nest is somewhat rough and unfinished in appearance, dead and skeleton leaves being freely used in
its construction. It is usually placed at a very small elevation, and at times on the ground, either close
to the stump of a tree or in some thick prickly bush.
The young in their first feathers arc spotted with pale yellowish markings, being not altogether unlike
young Itobius. The tint of the tail-feathers, however, is the same as in the adults, though scarcely so
conspicuous.
IÍLACKCA \\
CURRUCA A TRICA PILLA.
THIS well-known songster, whoso note almost rivals that of the Nightingale, is distributed over the majority of
our English counties, being found, according to my own e\poricn<-e, more plentifully in the southern and
eastern portions of the country. The Blackcap is staled to have been observed, iu suitable localities, as far as the
north of Scotland by many competent witnesses; this is doubtless the case, though the bird has but seldom
come under my notice in the Highlands. When busily occupied iu studying the habits or endeavouring to obtain
specimens of the larger birds of prey, or some scarce member of the Wader or Wildfowl family, it is quilo
possible such small fry would escape unnoticed; this, I conclude, is the reason I have failed to recognize one
or two of the Warblers and oilier diminutive wanderers that have been reported by certaiu observers. Some
years back 1 remarked a few scattered birds in East Lothian in a warm sheltered valley at no great distance
from the coast; as it was then towards the close or summer, I was ignorant whether these Warblers bad been
bred in the locality (which was iu every respect adapted to their habits) or were working their way southward
from some more northern haunt.
The Blaekeap arrives on the south coast of England about the second week in April. My attention was
attracted a few years ago by two remarkably line males that had taken up their summer quarters within
what appeared au exceedingly short distance of one another: the spot they had selected was situated in the
wooded district a few miles north of the range of the South Downs in Sussex. These two birds were watched
on several occasions during three or four days (April 13th to lHth) feeding on ivy-berries in the most amicable
manner, almost side by side. Not a glimpse of cither of tile females was obtained, and it is doubtful whether
they bad at that date reached our shores. I can find no entry iu my notes referring to the earliest
date at which the eggs of this species have been seen. The young birds iu my collection were obtained
on the 8th of July, when just on the point of quitting the nest : this was evidently a late brood (the first
nest having probably been robbed), as I have repeatedly remarked young birds appearing in the woods and
coverts within n few miles of the south coast shortly after this dale.
Iu oompanj with Garden-Warblers, these birds may regularly be seen every autumn feeding greedily ou
fruit iu gardens near the coast just previous to their departure, their heads, beaks, and breasts licing at times
deeply staiued by the juice of the elder-berries, for which they appear to entertain au especial fancv. Insects
and caterpillars also afford a large proportion of the food of these birds. I repeatedly watched both old and
young taking the green caterpillars from plants and flowers. Bird-catchers are well aware that the mealworm
is a bail this species is unable to resist.
Though usually concealed with considerable care, I have on more than one occasion met with the nest of
this species in a ridiculously conspicuous position ; this, however, has ouly occurred when the site ehosou was
more elevated than that commonly selected, and where a perpetual dark shade was thrown over the whole or
the immediate surroundings by the dense foliage of lofty overhanging timber. The cradle constructed for