A dictionary of British birds : reprinted from Montagu's Ornithological dictionary, and incorporating the additional species described by Selby; Yarrell, in all three editions, and in natural-history journals / compiled and edited by Edward Newman.
- George Montagu
- Date:
- 1866
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: A dictionary of British birds : reprinted from Montagu's Ornithological dictionary, and incorporating the additional species described by Selby; Yarrell, in all three editions, and in natural-history journals / compiled and edited by Edward Newman. Source: Wellcome Collection.
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![boatswain. neat is usually placed in a thick bush, or against the side of a tree, or on a stump in the side of a bank. It lays four or five light blue eggs, thickly covered ^dth pale ferruginous-brown spots, mostly at tlie larger end; which rn-e hatched in about fourteen days incubation. Its food is principally worms and shelled snails ; these last are most dexterously broken against a stone in order to get at the animal; aU kinds of insects as well as fruit are eagerly sought after. In confine- ment they readily eat crumbs of bread, and flesh either raw or otherwise. It is never observed to migrate -with us, or to congre- gate ; but is at all seasons a solitary species, preferring woods and enclosed situations. Blackbird, Michaelmas.—See Ouzel,Eing. Blackcap.—See Titmouse, Great; Tit- mouse, Marsh; and Gull, Blackheaded. Blackcap.— [Yarrcll, i. 32C ; Hewitson, xxxiv. 126.] Motacilla atricapEla, Lin. Syst. i. p. 332, 18; Gmel. Syst. ii. p. 970. AtricapEla feu FicediEa Aldrov, Raii Syst. p. 79, A. 8; Will. p. 162, t. 41. SyMa AtricapEla, Ind. Orii. E. p. 508, 6. La Fauvette a tete noire, Buf. v. p. 125, t. 8, f. 1. Blackcap, Br. Zool. i. No. 148; 16. fol. 101, t. 8, f. 5; Arct. Zool. u. p. 418, F; Will. Angl. p. 226; Lath. Syn. iv. p. 415, 5; Lewin, Br. Birds, in. 1.116; Wale. Sy7i. E. t. 234; Bull. Cat. Dorset, p. 9. Curruca atricapiEa, Bris. Ei. p. 380, 6 ; Ib. 8vo, i. p. 416. Provincial: Mock-night- ingale ; Nettle-creeper; Nettle-monger. — This species of warbler weighs about four drams and a half: length near six inches. The bEl 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 grej-ish brown, with a tinge of green: the quill-feathers and taE dusl^, edged with dull green; breast [and upper part of the beEy Ught ash-colour; legs lead-colour. The female is distinguished from the other sex by the crown of tlie head, which is of a dull rust-colour; she is also superior in size. The Blackcap is a migrarive species, visiting us eaidy in tlie spring, and retiring in September; it frequents woods and thick hedges, and seems particularlj'- partial to orchards and gardens, where it dehghts us with its charming melodious song, which is very Ettle inferior to that of the Nightingale, except in variety of notes. It makes a nest in some low bush or shrub, composed of diied stalks, generaEy of goose-grass, put together with a Ettle wool, and some- times a little green moss on the outside; the inside is lined with fibrous roots, upon which ai’e frequently placed a few long hairs. The eggs are four or five in num- ber, of a pale reddish brown, mottled with a deeper colour, and sometimes sprinkled with a few ash-coloured spots; their weight about thirty-five grains. On the first arrival of this bEd it feeds greedEy on ivy-berries, but forsakes that food as soon as the vernal sun has roused the insect tiibe. [Blackchinned Grebe.—See Grebe, Little.] Blackcock.—See Grous, Black. Blackcock, Spotted. — See Grous, Block- spotted. Black Game.—See Grous, Black. [Blackheaded Bunting. — See Bunting, Eced.] [Blackheaded GuE. — See GuE, Black- headed.] BlacktaEed Godwit.—See Godwit, Eed. [Blackthroated Diver.—See Diver, Black- throated.] [Blacktoed GuE.—See GuE, Blacktoed.] [Blackwinged GuE.—See GuE, Laughing.] [Blackwinged StEt. — See Plover, Long- legged.] Blue-Cap.—See Titmouse, Blue. [Blue Darr.—See Tern, Black.] [Blueheaded WagtaE.—See WagtaE, Blue- headed.] [Bluethroated Warbler. — See Warbler, Bluethroated.] [Bluewinged ShoveEer.—See ShoveEer.] Boatswain-— See GuE, Blacktoed. Sup- plement.— There appears to be a bird which is obseiwed to breed on the Black- rock, on the coast of France, belonging either to the GuE, or Tern genus, which the British saEors have denominated Boatswain-bu’d. One of his Majesty’s ships of war being stationed off that place, gave an opportmEty for a party to land, and collect the eggs, which were in great abundance. An officer prcseiw^ed some of these eggs, w'hich were given to us; and upon comparison they appear to be nearest aEied to those of the Tems, but are larger, though not so large as the egg of the smaEest species of GuE : nothing there-](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b28089935_0040.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
