THE NIGHTINGALE, &:c. 6^ 



Gefner afTures us that it is not only the mod agreeable fongfter in a cage, 

 but that it is poflVfied of a moft admirable faculty of talking. 



In the beginning of May, the nightingale prepares to make its nefl, 

 which is formed of. the leaves of trees, ftraw, and mofs j it is built at 

 the bottom of hedges where the bufiies are thickcft and beft covered, 

 yet is often deftroyed by foxes, weafels, fnakes, &c. While the female 

 continues fitting (about eighteen days), the male, at a diftance, but 

 within hearing, cheers the patient hour with his fong. She lays four or 

 five eggs, uniform greenilh brown, of which but a part, in our cold 

 climate, comes to maturity. The female feeds her young from her crop. 



It fleeps in the day-time, while it fings during night, and not only 

 fleeps but dreams, having been heard to warble, &c. in a very low and 

 indiftindt manner : They bathe after finging, and in an evening. A male, 

 which efcaped from his cage, ruflied into a fire that was near; probably 

 being dazzled by it. Lives many years j becomes grey by age. Pliny 

 mentions a white nightingale prefcnted to Agrippina, wife of Cliudius, 

 which coft fixty thoufand ftfterces j little fhort of two thoufand pounds. Is 

 found in Perfia, China, and Japan. 



The Red-breast, during the fpring, haunts the wood, the grove, and 

 the garden; retires to the thickeft and fhadieft hedge-rows to breed j 

 but in winter feems to become more domeftic, and often claims pro- 

 tection from man : the firft awake in the woods in a morning, the laffc 

 at going to repofe at night. The red- breaft continues with us the year 

 round, and endeavours to fupport the famine of winter by chirping round 

 the warm habitations of mankind, by coming into Hackers which mode- 

 rate the rigour of the feafon, and where infefts are found (if at all) 

 atcraclcd by the fame caufe. 



This bird breeds differently in different places : in fonne countries, 

 its neft is ufually found in the crevice of fome mofTr bank, or at the 

 foot of an hawthorn in hedge-rows ; in others, it choofes the chickeil 

 coverts, and hides its neft with oak leaves. The eggs are from four to 

 five, of a dull white, with reddilh ftreaks j is in fome countries a bird of 

 paffage. 



There is a Blue-breast, which, except in that colour, little differs 

 from the red-breaft; lives in moifl places; equally familiar ; fings at 

 night. Alfo a blue-red- breaft in America. 



Larks, whether the fky lark, the wood-lark, or the tit-lark, are 

 diftinguifhable by the length of their heel. Their fong is loud and 

 pleafing. The 



