ON THE NATURAL HISTORY OF THE NIGHTINGALE. 55 



to hear them to most advantage, for the song slackens, at least, is 

 only delivered at intervals, after they have paired. Towards the 

 close of May, it is heard gradually less and less frequent, till it 

 ceases altogether ; and, in general, it is continued for a longer 

 period by night than by day. They sing much more frequently at 

 midnight, than in the evening ; about eight or nine o'clock not a 

 single Nightingale w^ill, perhaps, be heard, when, an hour or two 

 afterwards, all is music. A correspondent who has minutely stu- 

 died the habits of this species, in Derbyshire, Mr. Neville Wood, 

 thus accurately writes me word upon this subject. "Clear moon- 

 light nights are very favourable to the song. In dark and windy 

 nights you never can be sure of hearing it ; although even heavy 

 and continued rain does not appear to disturb it in the least. Some- 

 times, however, on these unmusical nights, the shutting of an ad- 

 joining gate, the striking of a church clock, the passing of carriages, 

 and even the walking of passengers on the hard road, will fre- 

 quently induce it to commence its melody, notwithstanding its ori- 

 ginal intention of taking a night's repose. Sometimes, when my 

 friends had come on purpose to hear the Nightingale in my neigh- 

 bourhood, it would remain obstinately silent, and my friends were 

 obliged to depart disappointed. At length, however, I hit on an 

 expedient which seldom failed — the whistling in imitation of its 

 strains. I one night started a Ring Pigeon close to where the 

 Nightingale was singing, without the latter seeming at all alarmed ; 

 but if, on the contrary, I happened to make a very slight rustling 

 among the dead leaves lying on all sides, it would instantly dis- 

 continue its song." 



Its enemies. — This, of course, arose from the Nighlingale's in- 

 stinctive fear of Weasels, and other small beasts of prey, which^ 

 it is probable, led on by their keen sense of smelling, not unfre- 

 quently attempt to pounce upon the hen bird when she is sitting; 

 and, indeed. Nightingales, finding their chief subsistence on the 

 ground, must be very much exposed to the attacks of enemies of this 

 kind, and are no doubt always upon the alert to avoid them ; the 

 dry fallen leaves, among which they chiefly reside, giving notice, 

 by a rustling sound, of the very lightest footsteps that approach. 

 Throughout all animated nature, the chances of the prey are ba- 

 lanced with a wonderful degree of nicety against those of the 

 preyer ; and the same unobtrusive, retiring, habits, which endanger 

 this species to become the prey of small carnivorous quadrup^i, 

 also exempt it, on the other hand, from the attacks of most predg- 

 tory birds. 



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