148 An OfiiitJiological Visit to Warwickshire. [Sess. 



in the nests of robins, hedge-accentors, &c. — the former in 

 Eoxburghshire, the latter in Caithness ; but although success- 

 fully hatched, when the period of autumnal migration arrived 

 the birds disappeared, but did not return next year, as it was 

 fondly hoped they would. In habits this species is shy, and 

 very easily frightened, and, owing to the matted and dense 

 nature of the thickets it haunts, it is almost impossible 

 at times to observe it, notwithstanding that the curious 

 guttural chatter (the preliminary to warbling) may be quite 

 audible ; and as during this performance it seems to be con- 

 stantly changing its position, the sound has somewhat the 

 effect of ventriloquism. Where its abode borders on a grass 

 field or other open space, by the exercise of a little patience a 

 good view may be obtained, as it has a knack of darting 

 suddenly out from the hedge or thicket, and settling on the 

 ground for a short space, at the same time expanding its rusty- 

 coloured tail, after the manner of the redstart. The robin, as 

 well as the last named, does exactly the same thing, and we 

 might add also the hedge-sparrow occasionally. Many curious 

 and absurd stories are fathered on the nightingale, but the 

 following specimen in illustration will suffice. 



In a quaint old volume entitled ' The Ornithology of Francis 

 Willughby of Middleton, in the county of Warwick, Esq.,' 

 edited by Eay, and published in the year 1678, occurs a long 

 description of this species, both in a wild state and in cap- 

 tivity ; and among other literary tit-bits, the following tale is 

 told, on the authority of a still older ornithological writer 

 called Gesner, who, moreover, received the anecdote from a 

 friend. This said friend, in the year 1546, was lodging at an 

 inn in Eatisbon, where, owing to illness, he was confined to 

 bed, and, as he says himself, unable to sleep. In the room 

 were three nightingales in separate cages, and according to 

 this veracious individual, when all was quiet at dead of night, 

 two of them began, with what he calls " strange janglings and 

 emulations," to talk to each other in imitation of the voices of 

 human beings. Their conversation must have been gratifying 

 to our invalid, and pleasing withal, as the topics discussed 

 were various. It appears from the context that the birds 

 incited each other to divulge all the tittle-tattle that went the 

 round of the tap-room during the day, and among other curio- 



