lypl- HISTORY OF THE NIGHTINGALE* 1 23 



dens, in the neighbourhood of St Peterfburg or Mofcow, 

 and among the reft the Nightingale -, but I could never 

 obtain any authentic confirmation of this common af- 

 fertion, though I took feme pains to enquire ; and I 

 agree with Mr Daines Barrington in doubting the truth 

 of it, becaufe, as he fays, the trouble and expence 

 feemed unneceffary, as moft of our finging-birds are 

 common all over the well cultivated fpots of the north" 

 eaftern diftri£l of Europe, Denmark, Sweden, and 



.Ruffia. 



Mr Henfliaw informs us that the Nightingale in 

 Denmark is not heard till May, and that his notes are 

 not fo fweet or various as in England*. Fletcher, 

 (who was minifter from Queen Elizabeth to RufTia,) 

 fays that the Nightingales in that part of the world 

 have a finer note than the Englifli Nightingales. — See 



■ the Life of Fletcher in the Biographia Brita?viica. — 

 Wliich of thefe two is moft to be relied upon is doubt- 

 ful ; and it will be well if any of your correfpondents 

 can fettle this moot point. 



The Nightingale's favourite food is the little earth 

 grub, or maggot, but he can vary his food, as all other 

 birds can, from neceffity. 



According to the feafon, the Nightingale builds her 

 neft, and hatches from the end of March to the middle 

 of April, or even to the end of that month or begin- 

 ning of May. The thorn-brake, or low thick buflies, 

 are the ordinary fituations of the Nightingale's neft. 

 Nature having given this bird a fuperior ftile of fing- 

 ing, and a turn for finging in the dark, has protected 

 him from injury as much as poflible, by modcil plum- 

 age, and a retired difpofition. The Nightingale fings 

 commonly for about two months ; and not being heard 

 r diftinguiftied again till tlie return of the fpring, na- 

 ■ ralifts, who zxq generally ftronger in the cabinet than 



* Birch Hift. R. Soc. vol. iii. p. 189. 

 P 1 



