416 CHAPTER OF VARIETIES. 



in the earth, where it can remain in safety, and seeks its prey while they 

 are asleep, and thus unable to detect its approach. I have often found 

 that both large animals and insects, particularly those which are either 

 destructive or helpless, are of nearly the same colour as the places of their 

 retreat. This, in common with many others, is the case with the fox. 



E. G. BALLARD. 

 Islington, August 1, 1833. 



THE NIGHTINGALE. The following singular fact is taken from a 

 note relating to this bird, in the Rev. Mr. Bowles's " History of the 

 Antiquities of Locock " (which will shortly be published). " Of the 

 character of the song of the nightingale (says Mr. Bowles), Mr. 

 Coleridge has spoken as being lively and not melancholy. But 

 neither Mr. Coleridge, nor any ornithologist, to my knowledge, has 

 remarked what, I have no hesitation in saying, will be found a 

 fact : The nightingale has no note of its own, except in commencing 

 its rich and varied song, the first short whistle, and succeeding jug 

 jug as if to prepare itself for its elaborate and rich song. It invariably 

 opens, or, I should say, preludes its song, only with those two, its native 

 notes. It then distinctly, and literally as a mocking bird *, pours out 

 with richer, louder, and more mellow tones, the identical notes in rapid 

 succession of other singing birds, from the notes of the thrush, the 

 blackbird, the yellowhammer, the lark, the red-breast, the wren, &c., 

 until it is tired. This I know from those who can instantly pronounce, 

 from the song which they hear, what bird sings. Another remarkable 

 fact may be mentioned. The nightingale never sings without a twig 

 upon which it can rest its breast whilst it sings, as if to assist it in 

 exerting all its powers, and for this reason, it always lays a twig across 

 its nest, for the purpose of teaching its young to resort to the same 

 assistance in their future song. While I am on the subject, I may 

 remark another curious fact. The bulfinch naturally has only one note, 

 and that dull. To sing, it must have the regular instruction of art, and 

 then it learns its varied song in cottagers' houses. It may be taught 

 the perfect scale of eight notes, with the half and the whole notes, 

 and modulate exactly any tunes, or bits of tunes, its music master 

 teaches." E. G. BALLARD. 



Islington, July 1, 1833. 



* See " HABITS OF BIRDS," chap. xvii. for a refutation of all this EDITOR. 



