NIGHTINGALE 47 



who had caught the poor victim, for which there were 

 laid down no less than seven traps. Half-a-crown bought 

 the bird. On discovering that his leg had been broken 

 by the descent of the wire I gave him his liberty two 

 miles from where he was taken. The following Satur- 

 day, May 3, observing a pair of Nightingales feeding in 

 the grass skirting the woods, and that one had a very 

 singular gait, I looked through the telescope, and imme- 

 diately discovered my poor broken-legged Nightingale 

 limping about in rare good spirits ; supporting himself 

 with one wing he managed to hobble along the grass 

 famously. I was overjoyed at again seeing him in his 

 old quarters, so happy under his affliction ; and many 

 and many a time, through the spring, have I leaned 

 against a tree and listened with delight to the glorious 

 melody of my broken-legged Nightingale. I considered 

 I had laid out my money well. The Nightingale was 

 heard on April 8, 1846, by residents on Shooter's Hill, 

 and by a woodman on April 9, 1846. On April 11 I saw 

 a hen Blackcap, and at last met with the Nightingale 

 crossing the path in the Castle woods. I soon heard 

 his croak, and then mounting a tree, he poured forth his 

 unrivalled melody. Eight or wrong, I took him to be 

 my broken-legged Nightingale. He occupied the same 

 quarters and sang in the same tree. Numbers of traps 

 were again laid for him, but he, gaining wisdom from 

 experience, had learned to withstand the temptation of 

 meal-worms, and escaped them all. As soon as his wife 

 arrived I caught her and let her fly, so that often through 

 the spring I had the pleasure of hearing the luscious 

 notes of her mate. I was told a Nightingale had been 

 heard, and another had been caught, on April 5, 1846. 

 The Nightingale was heard in Shooter's Hill wood on 



