THE NIGHTINGALE. 279 
The eggs of the Nightingale are four or five in number, usually the 
latter, and sometimes as many as six have been found. There appear to 
be two types of the egg of this bird— a rich olive-brown one, and a bluish 
green one. The ground-colour of the olive-brown typeof egg is bluish 
ereen, where it can be seen through the surface-colouring, which is pale 
reddish brown. The bluish-green type is very faintly mottled with pale 
reddish brown, the colouring-matter sometimes being collected on one end 
_ of the egg like a cap. In some specimens this cap is to be seen on each 
end, the egg becoming paler round the centre. Some eggs are finely 
streaked here and there with darker brown. Im size they vary from °93 
to ‘75 inch in length, and from ‘65 to ‘57 inch in breadth. But one 
. brood is reared in the year. 
The Nightingale passes Gibraltar every season in great numbers on 
‘its migrations, arriving about the 12th of April, returning in August 
and September. This locality appears to be the favourite route of the 
Nightingale over the sea from its summer to its winter quarters. Still 
many birds cross the Mediterranean at other points; and Dixon has a note 
to the effect that a nightingale flew on board the steamer when in mid-sea 
on the 21st of April, crossing from Marseilles to Phillippeville. This bird 
was remarkably tame, and alighted on the back of one of the French 
soldiers lying on the upper deck. The flight of the Nightingale is buoyant 
and quick ; but seldom long sustained, for it usually confines its movements 
to flitting from bush to bush, and rarely crosses the open. 
The Nightingale has the general colour of the upper parts russet-brown, 
shading into brownish chestnut on the upper tail-coverts and tail. The 
underparts, including the lores, are buffish white, shading imto greyish 
white on the breast and flanks, and into brownish white on the axillaries 
and under wing- and tail-coverts. Bill brown above and pale horn-colour 
below. Legs, feet, and claws brown; irides hazel. The female in the 
colour of her plumage does not differ from the male. Young in first 
plumage have pale centres to most of the feathers. 
