14 NIGHTINGALE. 



the rails ; it had four eggs^ on which the bird was 

 sitting. Trucks were constantly passing over the 

 spot, and it seems wonderful that the nest was not 

 disturbed. After it was discovered an empty truck 

 was kept over it to prevent any harm coming to it. 



The eggs are from four to eight in number ; of a 

 beautiful pink tint, which, however, disappears on 

 blowing them, for it is due to the transparency of the 

 shell, and leaves them pure white, spotted with reddish- 

 brown ; the markings vary considerably, and specimens 

 have been taken pure white and perfectly free from 

 any spots or blotches whatever. 



NIGHTINGALE. 



ERITHACUS LUSCINIA. 



Family Passerid^. Sub-family Turdin^. Genus Erithacus. 



This bird, and rightly too, is universally acknow- 

 ledged to be the Prince of our English songsters. But 

 it is not by any means the only bird that sings at night; 

 the Sedge Warbler, the Grasshopper Warbler and 

 many others frequently do so. Neither is it only at 

 night time, as its name implies, that we must listen 

 for its beautiful rich strains. On a spring afternoon 

 in a five-mile walk I have counted over a dozen of 

 these birds warbling from the coverts by the lane-side. 

 In my part of Hampshire we consider it one of our 

 common birds, and one may lie in bed with open 

 window and listen to their soft notes wafted from 

 every direction till one is lulled to sleep. It is by no 

 means so common all England over, however, for in 

 the North and West it is very rare indeed, whilst 

 Scotland and Ireland are quite out of its range. It 



