Chap. 45.) THE (ENANTHE, ETC. 511 



reed held crosswise, and then blowing into it, a languette being 

 first inserted, for the purpose of breaking the sound and ren- 

 dering it more shrill. * But these modulations, so clever and so 

 artistic, begin gradually to cease at the end of the fifteen days ; 

 not that you can say, however, that the bird is either fatigued 

 or tired of singing ; but, as the heat increases, its voice becomes 

 altogether changed, and possesses no longer either modula- 

 tion or variety of note. Its colour, too, becomes changed, and 

 at last, throughout the winter, it totally disappears. The tongue 

 of the nightingale is not pointed at the tip, as in other birds. 

 It lays at the beginning of the spring, six eggs at the most. 



CHAP. 44. THE MELANCORYPHUS, THE ERTTHACTJS, AND THE 

 PHCENICUKTJS. 



The change is different that takes place in the ficedula, 30 

 for this bird changes its shape as well as its colour. " Fice- 

 dulu" is the name by which it is called in autumn, but not 

 after that period ; for then it is called " melancoryphus." 31 In 

 the same manner, too, the erithacus 32 of the winter is the 

 " phconicurus " of the summer. The hoopoe also, according 

 to the poet ^Eschylus, changes its form ; it is a bird that feeds 

 upon filth 33 of all kinds, and is remarkable for its twisted top- 

 knot, which it can contract or elevate at pleasure along the top 

 of the head. 



CHAP. 45. THE CENANTHE, THE CHLORION, THE BLACKBIRD, AND 



THE IBIS. 



The cenanthe, 34 too, is a bird that has stated days for its re- 



29 Something very similar to this, we often see practised by the water- 

 warblers in our streets. 



30 Cuvier supposes that this is one of the fly-catchers ; the " Muscicapa 

 atricapilla " of Linnajus, which changes in appearance entirely after the 

 breeding season. 



31 The "black-head." 



32 Cuvier thinks that this is the wall nightingale, the Motacilla phoeni- 

 curus of Linnaeus, which is not seen in winter. On the other hand, the 

 Motacilla rubecula of Linnaeus, or red-throat, is only seen during the 

 winter, and being like the other bird, may have been taken for it, and 

 named " phcenicurus." 



33 This is not the case. Aristotle only says that it builds its nest of 

 human ordure ; a story probably without any foundation, but still prevalent 

 among the French peasantry. 



34 It has not been identified with precision. Pliny, B. xviii. c. 69 calls 



