THE NIGHTINGALE. 61 



has no parallel in the case of other migrants. The 

 boundary line, over which it seldom, if ever, flies, 

 excludes it from Cornwall, West Devon, part of 

 Somerset, Gloucester, and Hereford ; the whole of 

 Wales (a fortiori from Ireland), part of Shropshire, 

 the whole of Cheshire, Westmoreland, Cumberland, 

 Durham, and Northumberland. It is true that it 

 has been reported to have been heard and seen in 

 Wales, Cumberland, and even in Midlothian ; but 

 even if they could be relied on in every case, which 

 is doubtful, these instances can only be regarded as 

 exceptional. In those counties only to the east 

 of the line indicated can the bird be considered 

 a regular summer visitant. Blyth expressed the 

 opinion that the Nightingale migrates almost due 

 north and south, deviating but a very little indeed 

 either to the right or left. In a note to his edition 

 of White's Selborne, p. 141, he says " There are 

 none in Brittany, nor in the Channel Islands, and 

 the most westward of them probably cross the 

 Channel at Cape la Hogue, arriving on the coast 

 of Dorsetshire, and thence apparently proceeding 

 northwards rather than proceeding towards the 

 west ; so that they are only known as accidental 



