AN ARCADIAN CALENDAR 



repeated, and then a nightingale broke into full song, 

 singing, it seemed certain, to hearten his true-love's 

 labours, and for her delight alone. 



THE nightingale " chief est of the little nimble 

 musicians of the air," as old Izaak Walton 

 The quaintly said was " Aedon," the singer, 



Singer to the Greeks, since there is but one singer 

 whenever he utters his flute-like notes, his 

 " music of the moon." As the male nightingales come 

 first, it has never been doubted that their songs are 

 genuine love-songs, and signals to lure mates. Bird- 

 catchers have a curious legend that if a bachelor be 

 captured it may live as a captive even for twenty years. 

 But if taken after it has fallen in love, wooed, and 

 mated, it will pine to death, which goes to suggest that 

 genuine passion throbs in the nightingale's heart, as in 

 his music. 



THE bird of mystery is now due, the nightjar, with his 

 strange, unbird-like rattle-song. All his 

 An Un- ways are the ways that are dark, and have 

 canny Fowl fostered the wildest legends, as that he 

 milks goats. He stands curiously apart 

 from other birds; even in the way he perches, choosing 

 to differ by crouching lengthwise along branches. His 

 structure, too, has points of mystery, such as the exact 

 purpose of the mouth-bristles, and the serrated middle 

 claws. He comes forth in the mysterious gloaming, 

 flying in an uncannily noiseless, ghost-like way, yet as 

 swiftly as a swallow; but sometimes will clap his wings, 

 as if with deliberate intention to startle. 



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