188



Mr. W. F. Teschemaker,



endeavoured to obtain any assistance, he addressed himself to the

third member of our party, who was a first-rate climber. But the

latter, quite entering into the humour of the situation, approached

the tree in the Charlie Chaplin manner, and, with grotesque

contortions and exaggerated effort, wriggled up a short distance

only to slip back again. Nelson, who had not quite grasped the

true inwardness of the situation, made desperate but unavailing

attempts to push him up from below, in the midst of which the climber

suddenly released his hold, and down they both came, Nelson under¬

neath, and getting much the worst of the deal. But Nelson was a

most amiable and charming personality, and, though he had to return

without the Sparrow-Hawk’s eggs, he was not in the very least

ruffled.


One of the first principles of successful bird-preservation is

that one should never assist a collector in any way whatever, so,

although T. H. N. was very anxious to know 7 the exact locality of this

nightingale colony, he was only told that it was “near Chudleigh.”

Nevertheless, so incorrigible is the collector’s habit of passing on

information that even the above vague description very shortly

afterwards found its w 7 ay into print. I think T. H. N. must have

mentioned it to Mr. H. F. Witherby, for this remote spot was sub¬

sequently described in 1 British Birds ’ as the best locality in

Devonshire for Nightingales.


Alas, both T. H. Nelson and the friend w 7 ho did not succeed in

reaching the Sparrow-Hawk’s nest, were ferried across the dark river

last year. Fuit Ilium : fuimus Troes.


I do not, however, need to go as far as Chudleigh to hear the

Nightingale sing : almost every spring morning for the past seven

years I have been awakened by the most beautiful of all bird-music.

It is a w T onderful thing that such a romantic and artistic tempera¬

ment as the Nightingale’s should consent to sing in a bird-room, but

it does consent—-very frequently, for not all Nightingales will make

the attempt, nor will the Nightingale sing for every aviculturist.

Those w’ho regard birds as automata, only requiring to be placed in

a cage of regulation size and shape, and fed on the regulation diet,

will never have any great success with Philomel. The Philomel has

the true musical temperament—imaginative and a little fitful.



