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among the herbage, or under a bank. On land it 

 runs with great facility, and often perches on 

 stumps or trunks of willows, on which it sometimes 

 forms its nest a rather bulky construction, which, 

 however, is usually placed on the ground among 

 reeds or in the water. The eggs, of which there 

 may be six, eight, or ten, are of a pale greyish 

 yellow, or greyish brown, dotted with deep brown 

 spots. 



NIGHTINGALE. 



PHILOMELA LUSCINIA. 



This favourite bird is common in Sweden and in 

 the northern parts of Germany, and arrives in Bri- 

 tain towards the end of April or the beginning of 

 May, the males preceding the females by an inter- 

 val of ten days or a fortnight. They disperse over 

 the southern and eastern counties, and proceed as far 

 north as the vicinity of York and Carlisle. Although 

 supposed to have been heard in Scotland, none of 

 them have ever been obtained there. It is of a 

 very shy disposition, frequenting woods rank with 

 underwood, close thickets, thorn brakes and hedges, 

 and is seldom seen in the place of its retreat, being 

 only discovered by its song. The variety, unri- 



