A HISTORY OF THE NIGHTINGALE. 815 



gradually in about three weeks : wherefore, if it ever do remain in this country 

 through the whole winter, it is difficult to conceive how its melody should 

 escape notice during the earlier months of the year ; in the cage it certainly 

 never sings more delightfully than at that period. 



The male arrives ten days or a fortnight sooner than the other sex, and both 

 immediately repair to the locality which they left the preceding autumn ; travel- 

 ling only by night, as the voice of the male is often heard, at intervals, for a 

 whole day, and only for one day, in places which individuals pass in their 

 progress northward. In autumn they also migrate solitarily, though the contrary 

 has been asserted. It would be at variance with the whole tenour of the 

 Nightingale's habits, and also of those of the birds to which it is most nearly 

 allied, for it to assemble in small societies at any season. Not even the Robin is 

 more quarrelsomely disposed towards others of its kind, than is this famed 

 " leader of the vernal song." The Hon. and Rev. W. Herbert mentions that 

 " a Nightingale, which had lived two years in a cage full of birds, and even 

 suffered the common Wrens to jump and rub themselves on its back, instantly 

 attacked, in the most violent manner, another Nightingale which was placed in 

 the cage." All who are in the least familiar with the habits of this noted song- 

 ster, must have frequently remarked the extreme jealousy of its disposition. 



It retires in winter, *in common with the rest of our summer visitants, to 

 northern Africa, where M. Le Marie (as quoted by Montbeillard) heard them 

 in full song. At Smyrna Mr. Strickland noticed their re-appearance on April 

 5 ; and Gilbert White, in his " Naturalist's Calendar," extends the period of 

 their first arrival in Selborne, Hants, from April 1 to May 1 ; so that their return, 

 throughout the extent of their breeding range, is probably nearly simultaneous ; 

 that is to say, they loose but little time on their passage. Each pair, in summer, 

 appropriates a small district, attacking, with the utmost fury, any bird of their 

 own species that trespass on their territory. la general, however, the Nightingale 

 is rather a sedentary bird, habitually retiring from observation ; and it puffs its 

 plumage very much, even when hopping about, at which time the tail is mostly 

 raised higher than the points of its wings. It is remarkably fond of bathing, and 

 frequently soaks its plumage so completely as to fly with much difficulty. 



Nightingales, like many other birds, dislike cold and especially windy weather, 

 but seem to be quite indifferent about rain. Thus, in uncongenial seasons, their 

 music is but little heard ; but if the weather prove favourable they burst forth 

 into loud song immediately on their arrival in the woods. It is then that they 

 sing, habitually, with the greatest vigour ; for the song slackens a little, and is 

 delivered les3 frequently, after they have mated. Towards the close of May it 

 becomes less and less frequent, till it ceases altogether ; but it is continued for a 

 rather longer period by night than by day. Notwithstanding all that has been 



