148 



HISTORY OF BIRDS. 



the warbling of any other bird, because it is 

 heard at a time when all the rest are silent. 



In the beginning of May, the nightingale 

 prepares to make its nest, which is formed of 

 the leaves of trees, straw and moss. The nest 

 being very eagerly sought after, is as cun- 

 ningly secreted; so that but very few of them 

 are found by the boys when they go upon 

 these pursuits. It is built at the bottom of 

 hedges, where the bushes are thickest and 

 best covered. While the female continues 

 sitting, the male at a good distance, but al- 

 ways within hearing, cheers the patient hour 

 with his voice, and, by the short interruption 

 of his song, often gives her warning of ap- 

 proaching danger. She lays four or five eggs; 

 of which but a part in our cold climate come 

 to maturity. 



The delicacy, or rather the fame, of this 

 bird's music, has induced many to abridge its 

 liberty, to be secured of its song. Indeed, 

 the greatest part of what has been written 

 concerning it in our country consists in direc- 

 tions how to manage it for domestic singing ; 

 while the history of the bird is confined to 

 dry receipts for fitting it for the cage. Its 

 song, however, in captivity, is not so very 

 alluring; and the tyranny of taking it from 

 those hedges where only it is most pleasing, 



senses are the judges, each has his peculiar taste. If 

 one nightingale has the talent of dwelling agreeably on 

 his notes, another utters his with peculiar brilliancy, a 

 third lengthens out his strain in a particular manner, 

 and a fourth excels in the silveriness of his voice. All 

 four may excel in their style, and each will find his 

 admirer; and, truly, it is very difficult to decide which 

 merits the palm of victory. There are, however, in- 

 dividuals so very superior as to unite all the beauties of 

 power and melody ; these are generally birds of the first 

 breed, which, having been hatched with the necessary 

 powers, in a district well peopled with nightingales, 

 appropriate what is most striking in the song of each, 

 whence results this perfect compound, so worthy of our 

 admiration. As the return of the males in spring al- 

 ways precedes that of the females by seven or eight days, 

 they are constantly heard to sing before and after mid- 

 night, in order to attract their companions on their 

 journey during the fine nights. If their wishes are 

 accomplished, they then keep silence during the night, 

 and salute the dawn with their first accents, which are 

 continued through the day. Sonle persist in their first 

 season in singing before and after midnight, whence 

 they have obtained the name of nocturnal nightingales ; 

 hut they cannot be distinguished till after some time, 

 when they are established in their district, and have the 

 society of their females. After repeated experiments 

 for many successive years, I think I am authorised in 

 affirming that the nocturnal and diurnal nightingales 

 form distinct varieties, which propagate regularly: for 

 if a young bird is taken from the nest of a night singer, 

 he in his turn will sing at the same hours as his father, 

 not the first year, but certainly in the following; while, 

 on the other hand, the young of a day nightingale will 

 never sing in the night, even when it is surrounded by 

 nocturnal nightingales. 



ft is a pity that the time for this delightful bird's 

 song should be so short, that is to say, when wild. It 

 eiKkires hardly three mouths; and during this short 



still more depreciates its imprisoned efforts. 

 Gesner assures us, that it is not only the most 

 agreeable songster in a cage, but that it is 

 possessed of a most admirable faculty of talk- 

 ing. He tells the following story in proof of 

 his assertion, which he says was communi- 

 cated to him by a friend. " Whilst I was at 

 Ratisbon," says his correspondent, " I put up 

 at an inn, the sign of the Golden Crown, 

 where my host had three nightingales. What 

 I am going to repeat is wonderful, almost 

 incredible, and yet is true. The nightingales 

 were placed separately, so that each was shut 

 up by itself in a dark cage. It happened at 

 that time, being the spring of the year, when 

 those birds are wont to sing indefatigably, 

 that I was so afflicted with the stone, that I 

 could sleep but very little all night. It was 

 usual then about midnight, when there was 

 no noise in the house, but all still, to hear the 

 two nightingales jangling and talking with 

 each other, and plainly imitating men's dis- 

 courses. For my part I was almost astonished 

 with wonder; for at this time, when all was 

 quiet else, they held conference together, and 

 repeated whatever they had heard among the 

 guests by day. Those two of them that were 

 most notable, and masters of this art, were 

 scarcely ten feet distant from one another. 



interval it is not maintained with equal power. At its 

 first arrival it is the most beautiful, continued, and im- 

 passioned 5 when the young are hatched, it becomes 

 more rare ; the attentions which they require occupying 

 considerable time. If from time to time the nightin- 

 gale's song is heard, it is evident that the fire which 

 animated it is much weakened. After midsummer all 

 is ended, nothing is heard but the warbling of the young, 

 which seem to study their father's song, and try to 

 imitate it. The nightingale sings much longer in con- 

 finement : birds which are caught full grown sometimes 

 sing from November to Easter; those which are bred 

 from the nest sing much longer, sometimes as long as 

 seven months; but in order that they may sing well, 

 they must be put under the instruction of an old night- 

 ingale which is a good singer, otherwise they will be 

 only stammerers, mutilating their natural song, and 

 inserting in a confused manner tones and passages 

 which they have caught from other birds. If, however, 

 they have a good instructor, and a good memory, they 

 imitate perfectly, and often add to their instructor's song 

 some beauties of their own> as is usual among young 

 birds. 



Independent of these talents, the nightingale pos- 

 sesses a quality very likely to augment the number of 

 his friends; he is capable, after some time, of forming 

 attachments. When once he has made acquaintance 

 with the person who takes care of him, he distinguishes 

 his step before seeing him; he welcomes him by a cry of 

 joy; and, during the moulting season, he is seen making 

 vain efforts to sing, and supplying, by the gaiety of his 

 movements, and the expression of his looks, the demon- 

 strations of joy which his throat refuses to utter. When 

 he loses his benefactor, he somt times pines to death; if 

 he survives, it is long before he is accustomed to 

 another. His attachments are long, because they are 

 ot hasty, as is the case with all wild and timid disposi- 

 tions." Bechstein on Cage Birds. 



