48 THE BIRDS OF KENT 



April 11, 1861, and again on April 2G, 1861. May 2, 1861, 

 I saw a Nightingale and a Robin feeding together, and 

 plucky little Eobin kept pecking and driving the aristo- 

 cratic Nightingale away. On April 23, 1866, I saw 

 the Nightingale on the south-west face of Shooter's 

 Hill, Kent." Mr. C. CollingW'Ood notes the earliest 

 arrival "on April 16, 1854, Love Lane, Lee, and Abbey 

 Wood." 



In the Zoologist, 1857, Captain H. W. Hadfield 

 describes his experience and observations on the Night- 

 ingale in the Tunbridge district, as follows : — 



"April 20, 1857 (thermometer 65°).— At 6 o'clock p.m. 

 I revisited the spot where a Nightingale was first heard 

 on the 11th instant. After vainly waiting for some half 

 hour*or more, I was returning home disappointed, when 

 .the clear but distant notes of one could be plainly distin- 

 guished above that of every other songster. We (for I w^as 

 accompanied by one of my sons) immediately hastened 

 to the spot. To leave the high road, cross a ploughed 

 field, and clear a hedge, seemed, in our state of excite- 

 ment, but a momentary affair. As we drew near, not 

 one only, but several of these sweet warblers were pour- 

 ing forth their melodious notes at the same moment, 

 apparently vying with each other in eager but peaceful 

 rivahy. We now found ourselves in a lane, bordered on 

 either side by hawthorn hedges, which, like most others 

 in the neighbourhood, had been allowed to grow up in a 

 natural and luxuriant manner ; to our left and adjoining 

 the road there was a small plantation, chiefly of oak, but 

 the ground at the foot of the trees was completely covered 

 with tangled bushes and briars; an old, unused cart-road 

 running through the midst of it, on the entrance-gate 

 to which we sat ourselves quietly down to listen to and 



