200 BLYTH ON THE NIGHTINGALE. 



various thrushes (Merulina). In short, on a close and critical exami- 

 nation, the nightingale will be found to resemble the sylvan or fruit- 

 eating warblers in little else, than in being, like them, a migratory 

 species, and exceedingly shy, and impatient of being observed. 



In the various above-mentioned particulars, the nightingales, which 

 I would distinguish by the generic name Philomela, not only differ from 

 the sylvan warblers, (the fauvette, blackcap, whitethroat, &c.), but more 

 or less from all the various genera comprised under the term Sylvianu. 

 They may be considered as an intermediate genus, assimilating the 

 warblers (Sylviana) with the thrushes (Merulina), and from a long 

 and careful observation of the general habits and economy of our Bri- 

 tish species, both in captivity and in the woods, I am inclined to doubt 

 whether they would not range as naturally in the latter as in the 

 former group. 



As these remarks will probably fall into the hands of many who 

 have but little field acquaintance with the nightingale, a few observa- 

 tions on the history of this celebrated bird, may not here, perhaps, be 

 deemed superfluous. 



This renowned songster is of a size, intermediate, between the thrushes 

 and the warblers ; at least, he is much larger than any of our British 

 warblers ; and one of the continental nightingales, the Sylvia Philomela 

 of M.Temminck, (or, as I should prefer terming it, the Philomela major), 

 is a still larger bird. From its usual habit, however, of puffing up its 

 plumage, the nightingale generally appears more bulky than it really is. 

 But they vary considerably in size, and the variation does not indicate the 

 sex, some of both sexes being much larger than others. The hue of 

 the plumage, also, is subject to much variation, some of both sexes 

 being of a rufous tinge, and others inclining to an ash-brown. The 

 sexes therefore in this bird are not to be distinguished, either by the 

 colour of their plumage, or by their comparative size. 



It makes its first appearance in the neighbourhood of London about 

 the middle of April, the period of its arrival being most remarkably 

 regular, generally even to a day. The females, however, do not 

 arrive until ten days or a full fortnight after the males ; a curious fact 

 which may be observed in all our small migratory birds. It resorts 

 chiefly to woods and thickets, and is often found in large double 

 hedges, and in gardens where there are plenty of thick shrubs. In 

 such situations its powerful and loud song may be heard at all hours, 

 over that of every other bird. Like the various warblers, he is very 



