It is about six inches in length : the upper 

 part of its body ig of a rusty brown, tinged 

 with olive ; the under parts pale ash-colour, 

 almost white at the throat and belly : the 

 bill is brown, yellow on the edges at the 

 base ; eyes hazel ; 'legs pale brown. It is 



LE. (PHILOMELA. T.OSOIN:A.) 



common in the southern counties of Eng- 

 land, but never visits the northern parts of 

 the island, and is but seldom seen so far west 

 as Devon and Cornwall. Montague informs 

 us that it is said to be found only as far north 

 as Yorkshire, and certainly not farther west 

 than the eastern borders of Devonshire ; 

 although they are plentiful both in Somerset- 

 shire and Dorsetshire. " Why (he adds) they 

 should not be found in all the wooded parts 

 of Devonshire and Cornwall, which appear 

 equally calculated for their residence, both 

 from the mildness of the air and variety of 

 ground, is beyond the naturalist's penetra- 

 tion. The bounds prescribed to all animals, 

 and even plants, is a curious and important 

 fact in the great works of nature. It has 

 been observed, that the Nightingale may 

 possibly not be found in any part but where 

 cowslips grow plentifully ; certainly, with 

 respect to Devon and Cornwall this coinci- 

 dence is just." It is a bird of passage, 

 appearing in this country, and the rest of 

 Europe, about the beginning of April, and 

 returning, as it is supposed, to the dis- 

 tant regions of Asia, by the end of the sum- 

 mer. They neither appear to winter on the 

 European continent, nor to stay in Africa ; 

 but are at all times seen in India, Persia, 

 China, and Japan, where they are even more 

 esteemed for their song, and sell for higher 

 prices, than here. 



Mr. Gould (in his ' Birds of Europe ') re- 

 marks that the Nightingale appears to be 

 confined to particular districts ; remarking 

 that Devonshire appears to be its limit 

 westward, and Doncaster in Yorkshire in a 

 northern direction, few if any authenticated 

 instances being on record of its occurrence 

 beyond that town, which is the more sin- 

 gular as Nightingales are common in Sweden 

 and other countries situated farther north 

 than England. " Our own observation," 

 continues Mr. Gould, " respecting the mi- 

 grations of the Nightingale, is, that after 

 leaving our island it proceeds to the opposite 

 shores of the Continent, and gradually 

 makes its way southward, until it arrives in 

 Africa, which is its ultimate resting-place 

 during our winter months. We have our- 



selves received specimens killed in the 

 northern districts of Africa, but have never 

 obtained any from the central or southern 

 parts of that portion of the globe ; it would 

 appear, therefore, that its distribution over 

 that vast continent is comparatively limited. 

 In no part of Europe is it more abundant 

 than in Spain and Italy ; from whence, 

 however, equally as from our own, it re- 

 gularly migrates on the approach of winter. 



These birds are solitary in their habits, 

 never associating in flocks, like most of the 

 smaller birds. They make their nest in the 

 lower part of a thick bush or hedge, where it 

 is well sheltered and secure ; and the female 

 lays four or five eggs, of a greenish brown 

 colour. The nest is composed of dry grass, 

 moss, and leaves, and lined with hair, down, 

 and other soft substances. Whilst the busi- 

 ness of incubation is performed by the female, 

 her mate, at no great distance, entertains 

 her with his delightful melody : as soon, 

 however, as the young are hatched, he leaves 

 off singing, and joins her in the care of pro- 

 viding for them. A second and sometimes a 

 third hatch takes place ; and in hot countries 

 they are said to have four. The note of the 

 Nightingale is soft, various, and interrupted ; 

 frequently pausing, but more pleasing than 

 the warbling of any other bird ; the more so 

 because it is heard at a time when all the 

 rest are silent when every melodious sound 

 is heard to advantage, and has a powerful 

 effect on the imagination. Its food consists 

 principally of insects, small worms, eggs of 

 ants, and sometimes berries of various kinds. 



It has been frequently remarked that the 

 Nightingale is not only famous among the 

 moderns for its singing, but almost every 

 one of the ancients who undertook to de- 

 scribe the beauties of nature,has contributed 

 to raise its reputation. "The Nightingale," 

 says Pliny, " that for iifteen days and nig! its, 

 hid in the thickest shades, continues her 

 note without intermission, deserves our at- 

 tention and wonder. How surprising that 

 so great a voice can reside in so small a 

 body ! such perseverance in so minute an 

 animal ! With what a musical propriety 

 are the sounds it produces modulated ! T'-.e 

 note at one time drawn out with a long 

 breath, now stealing off into a different ca- 

 dence, now interrupted by a break, then 

 changing into a new note by an unexpected 

 transition ; now seeming to renew the same 

 strain, then deceiving expectation 1 She 

 sometimes seems to murmur within herself; 

 full, deep, sharp, swi f t, drawling, trembling ; 

 now at the top, the middle, and the bottom 

 of the sc.-ile ! In short, in that little bill 

 seems to reside all the melody which man 

 has vainly laboured to bring from a variety 

 of musical instruments. Some even seem 

 to be possessed of a different song from the 

 rest, and contend with each other with great 

 ardour. The bird overcome is then seen 

 only to discontinue its song with its life." 

 From Pliny's description, we should be led 

 to believe this bird possessed of a persevering 

 strain ; but, though it is in fact so with the 

 Nightingale in Italy, yet in our hedges in 

 England the little songstress is by no means 

 so liberal of her music. It is true that for 



