ii6 



BIRDS OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



IRiQbtingalc. 



The Nightingale {^Erithacus biscinia^ Linnaeus) is another 

 summer visitor to the British Isles, and is also met with in 

 Central and Southern Europe. It makes its way into 

 Africa to spend the winter. The adult has the upper parts 

 russet-brown, shadmg into rusty-red on upper tail-coverts 

 and tail; lores, buffish-white; beneath, buffish-white, shading 

 into greyish-white on breast and flanks; axillaries and under 

 wing-coverts, brownish -white; irides, hazel; bill, brown 

 above, paler beneath; legs and feet, brown. Length, about 

 six inches. The female closely resembles the male. The 

 young in first plumage have pale centres to most of the 

 feathers on upper parts; feathers of under parts have dark 

 mar£(ins. 



