304 THE NIGHTINGALE. 



And Burns, in praise of Allan Ramsay, characteristically says — 



" Thou paints auld Nature to the nines 

 In thy sweet Caledonian lines ; 

 Nae gowden stream through myrtle twines 



Where Philomel- 

 While nightly breezes sweep the vines— 



H er griefs will tell. " 



It is strange they should call its " merry " song one of grief, 

 unless, because it sings at night, it is supposed to be so. 



This famed songster is less than the lark — more slender and 

 handsome ; is about 6| inches long and 10 J in extent of wings. 

 Though its song is not so mellow as the merle's, nor so loud as 

 the mavis', nor so thrilling as the lark's, still for power and 

 variety it is the best of our British songsters — at least it seems 

 so when heard in the hushed stillness of night. It is a modestly 

 attired, shy bird, partaking of the hiding nature of the preceding 

 warblers ; like the robin it nestles on the ground, amongst the 

 roots of trees and bushes. The nest is also composed of herbage 

 and dry leaves, matted together and lined with fine grass ; eggs 

 five, sometimes six— like the colour of the bird itself — plain 

 brown ; iris, hazel ; legs and toes long and slender — strange, 

 like the skylark (two of our best songsters), it should be so 

 plainly dressed and nestle on the lowly ground ; what a 

 comment upon proud ostentation. Johnston of Carnbee, in his 

 local tragedy of that name, makes our own martyr, Patrick 

 Hamilton say, when hearing his sister singing, after he had 

 come home from the Continent to die — 



" Is it the robin's low note I hear, 



Bidding me know the sweet summer away ? 

 Yes ! yes ! I see that the leafage is sere, 

 I scent the autumnal decay." 



A true picture, as the robin sings on the approach of winter. 



The next allied genus in this arrangement is that of Curruca — 

 the warblers, which differs from the last in having the bill more 

 compressed, with a sharper ridge ; legs shorter, and the feet 

 better adapted for perching — the blackcap being the type. 

 They have also sweet and varied songs, but not equal to the 

 nightingale's. 



