THE NIGHTINGALE. BIRDS. THE GOLD CREST. 



323 



From the moment of his arrival in this country the 

 male Nightingale pours forth his melody, not only 

 during the day, but even in the silence and darkness 

 of the night, at which period his notes strike the ear 

 with more striking effect than when mixed up with 

 the voices of other feathered choristers. The beauty of 

 this nocturnal music has furnished a theme of admira- 

 tion for poets and writers in all ages, whose descriptions 

 of evening would almost seem incomplete if the Night- 

 ingale did not warble from the grove ; but none of them, 

 perhaps, have done more justice to his vocal powers than 

 old Izaak Walton, in the following speech which he puts 

 into the mouth of one of the persons in his dialogue : 

 " The Nightingale," says Auceps, " another of my airy 

 creatures, breathes such sweet loud music out of her 

 little instrumental throat, that it might make mankind 

 to think that miracles are not ceased. He that at 

 midnight, when the very labourer sleeps securely, 

 should hear, as I have very often, the clear airs, the 

 sweet descants, the natural rising and falling, the 

 doubling and redoubling of her voice, might well be 

 lifted above earth, and say Lord, what music hast 

 thou provided for the saints in heaven, when thou 

 affordest bad men such music on earth !" 



Like many other charming singers, the Nightingale is 

 by no means remarkable for the beauty of its personal 

 appearance. Its general colour is brown, with a red- 

 dish tinge above, dull greyish-white beneath ; the 'beak 

 and legs are brown, and the eyes, which are rather large 

 and very bright, have the irides hazel. The whole 

 length of the bird is about six inches and a half. The 

 Nightingales arrive in this country about the middle of 

 April, the males preceding their partners by a few days. 

 They do not occur in the extreme western parts of 

 England, nor in Ireland ; and their range to the north- 

 ward extends in this country only into Yorkshire, 

 although on the continent they reach as far as Sweden. 

 They frequent woods, plantations, and orchards, and 

 feed on insects and spiders. The nest, which is com- 

 posed of leaves, grass, and rushes, lined with a few 

 fibrous roots, is usually placed in a hollow in the 

 ground, and very loosely put together. The eggs are 

 four or five in number, and of an olive-brown colour ; 

 they are deposited early in May, and the young are 

 hatched in June. 



THE BLACKCAP (Curruca atricapilla), another Bri- 

 tish species, nearly allied to the Nightingale, is also a 

 beautiful songster, scarcely, if at all inferior to his more 

 celebrated relative. This bird measures about six inches 

 in length, the female being rather larger than the male ; 

 the plumage of both is of an ash colour more or less 

 tinged with brown, and the crown of the head is black 

 in the male, and chestnut brown in the female. The 

 Blackcap is an inhabitant of Europe, Asia, and Africa ; 

 it migrates into temperate climates in the spring, reach- 

 ing this country about the middle of April, and departs 

 southward again in September. During the summer it 

 occurs in most parts of England and in some localities 

 in Scotland, but is almost unknown in Ireland. Its 

 habits are similar to those of the Nightingale, but it 

 feeds partly upon fruits. 



THE GAEDEN WAEBLEE or GREATER PETTYCHAPS 

 (Curruca hortensis} is very nearly allied to the pre- 



ceding, and like it is a summer visitor to Britain. It 

 is a good songster, emitting a wild and rapid strain, 

 which is often continued for half an hour without a 

 pause. Two other nearly allied species, the WHITE- 

 THROAT (C. cinerea), and the LESSER WHITETHROAT 

 (C. syldella) are also common in this country. 



THE WOOD WAEBLEE (Sylvia sylvicola), which is 

 generally distributed in England, usually makes its 

 appearance in this country about the end of April, and 

 takes up its abode in woods and plantations. Its food 

 consists of insects and their larvae. This bird builds a 

 domed nest upon the ground amongst the herbage, 

 forming it of dry grass, leaves, and moss, and lining it 

 with fine grass and hair, but with no feathers. The 

 eggs are six in number, white, spotted all over with 

 deep red and ash colour. 



THE WILLOW WAEBLEE (Sylvia Trochilus), an- 

 other British species, arrives in this country about the 

 middle of April, and extends its range into Scotland. 

 It is common about woods, plantations, and hedges, 

 and makes its nest upon the ground much in the same 

 way as the preceding species, but lines it with feathers. 



THE CHIFF CHAFF (Sylvia Hippokils) is a very early 

 visitor to Britain, arriving here before any of the other 

 members of this family, with the exception of the 

 Wheatear. It is a very small species, and its name 

 is derived from its note, which resembles the syllables 

 diiff chaff, frequently repeated. In its general habits 

 it resembles the preceding species. 



THE DAETFOED WAEBLEE (Melizophilus Dart- 

 fordiensis) has received its name from having been 

 first discovered in the neighbourhood of Dartford in 

 Kent. It appears to remain in Britain throughout the 

 year, or at least many specimens have been observed 

 here during the winter. Furze-covered commons are 

 its favourite haunts; it dwells and builds its nest amongst 

 the furze-bushes, the strong prickles of which make a 

 formidable fence around the little dwelling. Hence it 

 is called in some places the Furzeling or Furze Wren. 

 Its food consists principally of small insects, which are 

 generally caught in the air. 



THE GOLD CEEST (Regulus cristatus), which is also 

 called the KINGLET, is the most diminutive of British 

 birds. It is a permanent resident in this country, and 

 indeed receives a considerable accession to its numbers 

 during the winter by a migration from the more northern 

 parts of Europe. It usually inhabits fir woods, where 

 it may be seen exploring the twigs and branches in 

 search of insects, hopping and creeping about with 

 great vivacity, and associating freely, not only with its 

 own species, but also with the Titmice and Creepers, 

 which resemble it somewhat in mode of life. Its nest 

 is cupshaped, composed of moss and lined with feathers; 

 it is suspended from three or four twigs beneath the 

 branch of a fir-tree so as to be sheltered from above. 

 The eggs vary in number from six to ten ; and the 

 female, while engaged in hatching and bringing up her 

 young, is very bold, allowing the nest to be looked into, 

 and even submitting to be handled without shrinking 

 from her duties. The male has a soft and agreeable song. 

 The length of this pretty little bird is about three inches 

 and a half; its plumage is yellowish-olive above and 

 yellowish-grey beneath ; on the crown of the head it 



