OF SELBORNE. 225 



Yoiir method of accounting for the periodical mo- 

 tions of the British singing birds, or birds of flight, is 

 a very probable one ; since the matter of food is a 

 great regulator of the actions and proceedings of the 

 brute creation: there is but one that can be set in 

 competition with it, and that is love. But I cannot 

 quite acquiesce with you in one circumstance, when 

 you advance that, " when they have thus feasted, they 

 again separate into small parties of five- .or six, and 



that our summer birds do not breed again when they visit Africa during 

 our winter months. Those who have been accustomed to keep nightin- 

 gales in confinement, know that one which has been taken from the nest 

 before it could fly, and reared in a cage, will never sing the true song of 

 its species, unless it have the advantage of hearing an old nightingale 

 sing throughout the autumn and winter; that a young nightingale caught 

 in the summer after the old birds have begun to moult and have ceased 

 singing, will sing rather more correctly than that which was taken from 

 the nest, because it has had the advantage of hearing the notes of its 

 parent longer; but that, without further education under an old male in 

 autumn and winter, it will only be able to execute parts of the nightin- 

 gale's beautiful melody, and will repeat too often some of the loud notes, 

 and harp upon them in a manner that is quite disagreeable. These two 

 classes of young birds seldom become true songsters in confinement; 

 because, unless a considerable number of old nightingales are kept in the 

 same room with them, they have not the same opportunity of hearing and 

 learning that they would have had in the woods; and if any other birds 

 are kept within hearing, they will imitate their notes and retain the habit 

 of singing them. The old nightingales cease to sing in England for the 

 most part towards the end of June, and after that time the young ones 

 can have no farther opportunity of learning their song while they remain 

 in Europe ; they merely record, or practise in the throat, what they can 

 recollect. It is therefore certain, that on their arrival in Africa, they 

 must consist of two classes old experienced songsters, and half-taught 

 young ones. Including the time consumed in the passage, the nightin- 

 gales spend pretty exactly an equal portion of the year in the north and 

 in the south. Therefore if they were to breed again in Africa, there 

 would be a flight of young half-educated birds on their return to us 

 in April, as there is on their return to the south in September; but 

 that is not the case. The birds which return to England are all 

 fully educated (though, as in other species, some individuals will be 

 more skilful songsters than others), and none of them are liable to take 

 the notes of other birds in confinement. These observations appear 

 to me to afford conclusive proof that they do not breed while they are 

 in the south. The same result will be drawn from the examination 

 of the plumage of other species, such as the redstart, &c. of which the 

 young have not acquired the colours of the adult when they leave us in 



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