BRITAIN'S BIRDS AND THEIR NESTS. 321 



award the palm to the Nightingale. The natural con- 

 ditions under which it sings, however, are very greatly 

 in favour of making the best possible impression on the 

 listener. It does not thrive in captivity. The ordinary 

 vocabulary is startling in its harshness. 



Amusing discussions take place from time to time in 

 the columns of provincial newspapers as to where the 

 Nightingale sings or does not sing. As a matter of 

 fact, its British range is very limited. It is only of rare 

 occurrence in any part of our area except England and 

 a small part of Wales. In the northern and extreme 

 south-western counties of England it is also practically 

 unknown. Unauthentic records from outside its proper 

 range are usually due to the performances of some of 

 our less familiar Warblers. 



The Nightingale arrives early in April, and begins to 

 nest at the beginning of May. The nest, made of dead 

 leaves, is usually on or near the ground on the sunny side 

 of a thick bush or hedge. The four to six eggs are 

 usually of a dark, cloudy brown, but a bluish-green type 

 with reddish-brown blotches also occurs. 



Subfamily, SYLVIIN^ (Warblers). 



THE WHITETHROAT 



(Sylvia cinerea). 



Plate 122. 



With the Whitethroat we come to the Warblers. 

 These form a group which is well represented in the 

 British Isles except in the most northerly portions. The 

 various species inhabit ground thickly covered with rank 

 vegetation of various types. They are mainly insectivor- 



2o 



