100 NOTES TO THE 



between coppices, would set the birds all round singing, and they 

 will do their song several times right through. 



I now give Mr. Davy's reading of the song of the nightingale. 

 The song is commenced by " wheeling and kurring," which may 

 thus be written : 



" Wheet, wheet, kurr, k-u-u-r-r-r." 

 The song after that commences : 



" Sweet, sweet, sweet, sweet, 



Js, jug, jug, .ig, jug, 



Swot, swot, swot, swotty." 



They lie a long time on these notes, finishing up with " swot- 

 ting and kurring." The song must be pronounced with great 

 inflexions (crescendo-diminuendo, I think the lady pianists call 

 it), especially modify the " sweet, sweet," and pronounce it in a 

 plaintive manner. The "jug, jug, jug," is quick, like a dog- 

 barking. 



Bechstein, the German naturalist, has also put the song of the 

 nightingale into words. He writes : " The song of the nightingale 

 is so articulate that it may very well be written." This is what 

 Bechstein makes of it. 



" Tiou, tiou, tiou, tiou 



Spe tiou squa 



Tio, tio, tio, tio, tio, tio, tio, tox, 

 Contio, contio, contio, contio, 

 Tzu, tzu, tzu, tzu, tzy," 



and so on for twenty more lines. I much prefer Mr. Davy's 

 version of the nightingale's song as given above. 



The following is the return of the "soft-meat " birds caught by 

 Mr. Davy's men in April, 1873. This was a. very late year 

 for arrivals. " Gales " means nightingales :-j 



Catchings, April, 1873 

 April 9, 3 Titlarks 

 10, 8 

 12 7 



18,' 6 Gales, 5 Titlarks 

 19, 5 Gales 



Catchings, April, 1873 



31, 21 Gales for turning 

 down, cocks and liens 

 May 2, 15 Gales, 2 Blackcaps 

 4, 7 Blackcaps 

 6, 8 Gales, 2 Blackcaps 



22, 9 Gales, 7 Redstarts 7, 24 Gales to turn down 



23, 16 Gales, 9 Whinchats, 



1 1 Redstarts,2Wheatears 



24, 11 Gales 



25, 18 Gales, cocks and hens, 



Total gales, 158. 

 Lost by deaths, 1873, in "meating 

 off" the above birds : 

 64 Gales 



for turning out 10 Titlarks 



2 Blackcaps 

 4 Redstarts 



26, 13 Gales 



27, 1 Blackcap 



28, 12 Gales 



C. K. DAW. 



