THE NIGHTINGALE. 



Philomela luscinia S w AINSON. 



PLATE VII. 



Motaeilla luscinia, Will. Linn. Sylvia luscinia, Lath. 

 Philomela luscinia, Swain. Selby. 



THIS far-famed songster has been alike cele- 

 brated by historians and poets. We have never 

 yet enjoyed the treat of its midnight music, for 

 the food or climate of North Britain seems hith- 

 erto unfavourable to its existence ; and not even 

 the perseverance of Sir John Sinclair has been 

 able to naturalize it to our colder soil ; never- 

 theless, we can conceive the power of its melody 

 swelling on the balmy breeze of evening, or 

 poured forth during the stillness of night. There 

 is little else attractive about the bird, for its 

 manners are shy, and its dress unobtrusive. In 

 some parts of the south of England, the Night- 

 ingale appears to be far from uncommon, but at 

 the same time it is very local in distribution. 

 On the eastern side of the island, it scarcely 

 reaches York for its northern demarkation, while 

 on the western side it is said to have extended to 

 Carlisle. It does not visit Wales, and has not 

 yet been heard or seen in any part of Scotland or 

 Ireland, but on the Continent it is said to extend 

 as far north as Russia and Sweden. This country 

 is visited for the purposes of incubation, and on 



