THE NIGHTINGALE. 



Des. ription Superiority. 



NIGHTINGALE. 



THIS charming songster is not remarkable 

 for variety or richness of colour. The upper 

 part of its body is of a rusty brown, tinged with 

 olive : the under parts are of a pale ash-colour, 

 almost white at the throat and belly. Its length 

 is about six inches. The nightingales do not re- 

 side in this climate the whole year; they come 

 towards the latter end of March or beginning of 

 April, and commence their emigration in Sep- 

 tember or October^ but to whence they take 

 their flisrht has not as vet been ascertained. 



O * 



The nightingale seems to have been fixed upon 

 almost universally as the most exquisite of sing- 

 ing birds, which superiority it certainly may 

 boldly challenge; one reason, however, of this 

 bird's being more attended to than others is, that 

 it sings in the night. 



It is very remarkable, that all the gay and 

 brilliant birds of America should be entirely des-^ 

 titute of that pleasing power of song which gives 

 so peculiar a charm to the groves and fields of 

 Europe. The nightingale's superiority in this 

 respect is thus expressed by the poet : 



" Nor envy we the gaudy robes they lent 

 Proud IVlontezunia's realm, whose legions cast 

 A boundless radiance waving on the sun, 

 While Philomel is ours; while in our shades, 

 Through the soft silence of the list'ning night, 

 The sober-suited songstress trills her lay." 

 VOL, III. NO. XX. 2F 



