66 OUR BRITISH SONG BIRDS. 
Then follow the Wheatear, Win-chat, and Stone-chat, 
birds of the fallow land and wild moor, giving life and 
activity to the almost deserted upland wastes. They are 
poor musicians, their voices being little else than a “chack,” 
“‘chack,” delivered with flirting tail from a heap of stones 
or an old wall. Owing to this the Wheatear and Stone- 
chat are both frequently spoken of as ‘‘Stone-chackers,” 
and, in Leicestershire, the Whin-chat, which is there often 
very abundant in meadows, is called ‘“ Utick,” from its 
note. It is also the most frequent of the three species 
about Burton, but the Wheatear is very partial to elevated 
wastes, like Chartley Park, where it and the Curlew seem 
to be the most noticeable birds met with. 
Leaving these feeble musicians, let us now devote a little 
time to the Nightingale, which has always been considered 
the chief of our song-birds. 
We frequently regard the Nightingale as almost as 
nocturnal a bird as the owl—a kind of ‘ mysterious 
musician,” in fact, who hides away by day, and at night 
issues forth to serenade his lady love. But this is by no 
means the true character of the Nightingale. He is as 
active during the day as any other bird, and those who are 
well acquainted with him can easily detect his notes amidst 
the general chorus, and it is only for a short time imme- 
diately succeeding his return to this country, and whilst 
he—an unhappy bachelor—is endeavouring to please and 
captivate the heart of the shy little brown bird he fain 
would call his mate, that he continues his efforts into the 
night and pours forth in rapturous melody the confession of 
his love. When he has gained his object and is fairly 
mated, his voice is heard less continually, and his serenading 
is gradually dropped, and after the untidy nest has been 
built—for accomplished artist though he be, he is but a 
poor house-builder—he is heard still more infrequently, until 
at the time when the five smooth olive-coloured eggs have 
