THE NIGHTINGALE. 259 



shame of art;" but proud as they may he of their own 

 skill, they are not insensible to the harmony of musical 

 instruments. The German hymn, played upon a flute 

 very softly near a bush, in which there was a nest, soon 

 attracted the attention of the birds. Scarcely was the 

 air finished than the cock was heard to chirp; and when 

 played a second time, it was seen to hop through the 

 bushes with great quickness towards the place where the 

 player stood, at the same time making a sort of sub- 

 warbling, which it soon changed into its usual beautiful 

 and lengthened song. 



The Nightingale is usually supposed to withhold his 

 notes till the sun has set, and then to be the only song- 

 ster left. This is, however, not quite true, for he sings 

 in the day, often as sweetly and as powerfully as at night ; 

 but amidst the general chorus of other singing birds, his 

 efforts are less noticed. Neither is he by any means 

 the only feathered musician of the night. The Wood- 

 lark will, to a very late hour, pour forth its rich notes, 

 flying in circles round the female, when sitting on her 

 nest. The Sky-lark, too, may frequently be heard till 

 near midnight high in the air, soaring as if in the bright- 

 ness of a summer's morning. Again we have listened 

 with pleasure long after dark to the warblings of a 

 Thrush, and been -awakened at two in the morning by its 

 sweet serenade. The Sedge-bird and Grasshopper-lark 

 may also be heard long after sun-set. 



Light, however, seems to be, in most cases, a regulator 

 of their song; for in the case of the Skylark and Thrush, 

 as it occurred in the middle of June, there was a strong 

 twilight, and we have listened in vain for the Sky-lark's 

 note beyond the hour above mentioned; though in the 

 northern part of Scotland, and the Shetland Islands, still 

 further northward, where in summer it is scarcely ever 

 dark, they are heard throughout the night singing; and 

 again, to use old Izaak Walton's words, " ascending higher 

 into the air, and then for a time ending their heavenly 

 employment, becoming mute and sad to think they must 



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