60 SKETCHES OF BIRD LIFE. 



be doubted, however, that this was the result of 

 accident rather than design ; and Hewitson, in his 

 Eggs of British Birds, has adduced two similar 

 instances in the case of the Hedge Sparrow. 



The nest of the Nightingale is a very loosely- 

 made structure, composed for the most part of dead 

 leaves, and placed upon a hedge-bank, generally at 

 the root of some stout shrub or thorn. The eggs, 

 usually five in number, are, like the bird itself, of a 

 plain olive-brown colour. 



The young Nightingales are spotted like young 

 Robins, having the feathers of the upper portions of 

 the plumage tipped with buff colour. 



In some respects the Nightingale assimilates 

 very much in habits to the Robin ; and advantage 

 has been taken of this, in localities where the 

 Nightingale is unknown, to introduce its eggs into 

 the nests of Robins, with a view to having the young 

 reared in the neighbourhood, and so induced to 

 return to it. But although, as regards hatching 

 and rearing, the plan was successful, the birds did 

 not return to the place of their birth. 



For some inexplicable reason, a limit appears to 

 be set to the migration of the Nightingale, which 



