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England ; such as Sweden and the northern parts of Germany.” 
My own opinion is that the limited dispersion of the nightingale 
has nothing to do with climate or food, but is simply in connection 
with distance from that part of the country where they first 
landed from the continent. There will always be some birds of a 
more venturesome spirit than others, who feel an impulse to push 
on beyond the range of country they are ordinarily confined to. 
Just as among ourselves there are some bold travellers who like 
to explore regions that have never before been visited by man; 
or—what is perhaps a more exact parallel—like stray birds of 
various species which, in several instances, have occurred only 
once or twice in this country from accidental causes. Any of our 
native birds might in like manner overstep the boundary of their 
usual haunts, though compelled to return sooner or later from 
want of proper food or shelter, or in order to secure their safety. 
What has been said hitherto relates to the nightingale alone, 
one of onr most regular and most interesting summer migrants. 
But there are some irregular and very remarkable movements 
occasionally observed in the cases of other of our song birds, 
which ordinarily remain with us the whole year, that quite 
deserves mention. Thus the thrush and the blackbird, as a rule, 
do not quit our shores on the approach of winter. But they are 
species widely dispersed over Europe, and those found in countries 
north of England are compelled to migrate in autumn, often 
appearing for a short time in large flocks on our shores, where 
they get mixed up with our own birds, many of which join and 
accompany the foreigners in their journey southward. 
A more remarkable case is recorded by Selby respecting the 
gold-crested Regulus. This bird, though “the most diminutive 
of all our British birds,is yet of sc hardy a constitution, as to 
brave the usual rigours of our winter. It is equally dispersed 
through England and Scotland, extending even to the Orkney 
Islands, where it is also indigenous.” The particular circumstance 
alluded to above is thus spoken of. “On the 24th and 25th of 
