THE NIGHTINGALE 449 



nest. 1 Whether he does so habitually is not known. It may be that, 

 as in the case of other species, allowance must be made for consider- 

 able variation in the conduct of individual males not only in respect 

 to nest building, but incubation also. As to the latter there is conflict 

 of evidence, Naumann asserting that the male shares in the task, 

 Bailly asserting the contrary. As there is no difference in the 

 appearance of the cock and the hen, it is not possible to verify 

 these statements unless one actually sees one of a pair taking the 

 place of its mate upon the nest. 



There can be no doubt that the cock habitually shares in the 

 feeding of the young, and so much so that from the moment of the 

 birth of the latter in June his song either ceases or is much less 

 frequently heard. When the young are able to feed themselves, or 

 rather when their parents think they can, for young birds are 

 apparently prepared to go on being fed indefinitely, the family breaks 

 up, and disperses. Exactly when the old birds quit their nesting-area 

 is uncertain. The young themselves are not at first sight easy to dis- 

 tinguish from young robins, except by their rufous tails, which, on the 

 other hand, makes it still easier to confuse them with young redstarts. 

 Like young robins, they begin to sing before the autumn moult. 

 This is completed sooner than that of their parents, thus enabling 

 them to quit our shores at an earlier date. 



The migration south takes place in August and September, and 

 at that time large numbers of nightingales have been seen collected, 

 awaiting the moment to depart, in a place so little with "high 

 romances blent " as the bathing-machines on the beach at Brighton. 

 A far cry from these to those 



"... magic casements opening on the foam 

 Of perilous seas, in faery lands forlorn." 



1 W. Farren (in litt.). 



