192 BIRD WORLD. 



unpleasant and his plumage very plain ; he is shy and 

 has no amusing or pleasing ways, and yet poets in all 

 countries have sung about him, and people have 

 traveled long distances to hear him sing. 



The song of the Nightingale or of any of the great 

 song birds is the greatest blessing which birds have 

 for men. If there were no singing birds, the woods 

 and fields in spring would seem silent and dreary. 

 The song delights men, not only because it is a cheer- 

 ful or beautiful sound, but because the bird is saying 

 something when he sings w^hich men say too, — the 

 best thing that they ever say. 



The Nightingale, when singing, is trying to express 

 the great love he feels for his mate, and for the little 

 children which he has or hopes to have. First he 

 calls her to him with a song. He sings loudly so that 

 she can hear him wherever she is, and can come to 

 him. Then, when they have chosen the place for 

 their nest, and she is sitting patiently, day after day, 

 on the eggs she has laid, he sings to her to encourage 

 her to sit still, so that the eggs which are so precious 

 to both of them may hatch, and the little birds, more 

 precious even than the eggs, may be born. 



If the nest is destroyed, there is nothing left to sing 

 for, unless the birds should have courage enough to 

 build another nest, and then the song begins again. 



