262 THE BIRDS OF HELIGOLAND 



84. — Common Nightingale [Nachtigall]. 

 SYLVIA LUSCINIA, Latham.^ 



Sylvia luscinia. Naumann, ii. 378. 



Common Nightingale. Dresser, ii. 363. 



Bcc-fin Tossigmil. Teinminck, Manuel, i. 195, iii. 125. 



Heligoland, whose superior rank in the domain of bird-life is 

 uncontested by the proudest empire, in one respect onl^' — but that 

 a most sensitive one — may be beaten by the poorest village which 

 possesses nothing more than a small brook or pond, surrounded 

 by bushy woodlands. There, blossoming spring will certainly not 

 fail to bring with it the soulful song of the Nightingale ; whereas 

 the steep and naked rocks of this island have never yet re-echoed 

 with its poetic strophes. At the same time, the species cannot by any 

 means be reararded as of rare occurrence here. But for it, as for all 

 the other wanderers of the air, Heligoland is merely an insignificant 

 half-way house, Avhere the larger hosts halt for a moment's brief 

 rest and refreshment, or for temporary shelter against stress of 

 weather, but which they never choose as a lasting abode for 

 their cosy nests or amorous songs. 



Solitary examples of the Nightingale arrive in Heligoland from 

 about the middle of Ajml to the middle of May, with light southerly 

 and south-easterly winds, esisecially if these are accompanied in the 

 early hours by a fine light rain. I do not remember ever having 

 seen the bird here in autumn. Aeuckens, however, insists on 

 having met with it in one or two instances at that season. 



The breeding range of the Nightingale extends from Portugal 

 (Cintra) over the whole of southern and central Europe, its num- 

 bers, however, decreasing towards the east. Towards the north its 

 nesting stations extend to England, in solitary instances even to 

 Denmark, where however its begins to be replaced by the 

 Northern N ightingale. 



An interesting but unsuccessful attempt was made to get the 

 bird to settle in the north of Scotland. A number of eggs were 

 obtained from the neighbourhood of London and placed in the 

 nests of Robins, which readily reared them. All the young 

 Nightingales left in September, without however returning the 

 following spring. (Newton in Yarrell's Brit. Birds, 1874, vol. i. 

 p. 319.) 



' Daiilias luscinia (Linn.). 



