THE NIGHTINGALE 49 



large bright eye ever on the look-out for danger. At the 

 least alarm it hurries off into the cover, from which it rarely 

 wanders far. Its flight is not very powerful and much like 

 that of a Kobin. When flying before you the bird bears a 

 very close resemblance to a female Eedstart, its tail showing 

 out very distinctly when fully expanded. By sitting quietly 

 in the woods well concealed from view you may often see the 

 Nightingale hop down out of the underwood on to the dead 

 leaves or the footpath and search about for food. It re- 

 peatedly flicks its wings and tail, and bobs its head, just like 

 a Eobin. If disturbed it hurries back to its close retreat, 

 from which may be heard its harsh croaking note of alarm, 

 something like that of the Whitethroat, but louder. Its 

 usual call-note is a long-drawn plaintive weet, very similar 

 to the Eobin's, and it also has a habit of snapping its bill 

 repeatedly if much disturbed. Its food consists principally 

 of small worms and grubs, which it finds amongst the loose 

 soil under the dead leaves, by the side of streams, and in 

 soft marshy places. It also feeds on ants and other insects 

 and their larvse, and in fruit time eats considerable quantities 

 of currants, raspberries, and wild strawberries. I believe its 

 young are chiefly reared on the larvae of moths and butterflies, 

 and on ants and their eggs. 



Like the Eobin, the Nightingale shows a strong affection 

 for certain haunts, and appears to return to them unerringly 

 every season. During the pairing time in April it is rather 

 pugnacious and drives away any rivals that may chance to 

 invade its own particular haunt. Nest-building begins about 

 the first week in May, but in backward seasons I have known 

 it be delayed until nearly the middle of the month. The 

 nest in nine cases out of ten is made on the ground, in situa- 

 tions very similar to those selected by the Eobin — amongst 

 the rank vegetation that carpets the woods, in a chink of some 

 old gnarled root, on the steep banks, or deep down in the 



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