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THE NATURE BOOK 



A FAVOURITE HAUNT OF THE NIGHTJAR 



quickens until at the close the notes are 

 lost in an ecstasy of confused chattering, 

 the body of the singer sliixering with the 

 movement. 



It is somewhat unfortunate that the 

 woods only contain one small pond, and 

 this, situated close to the roadside, has 

 been included in the purchased portion 

 of the estate. A pond or pool is always 

 a favourable spot for observing bird-Ufe, 

 so standing here, perfectly still and 

 partially hidden, we watch for arrivals, 

 who come to drink or bathe. Twenty 

 species or more can frequently be counted 

 in the space of half an hour. From the 

 bushes and trees they drop quietly to 



the edge of the 

 water — the hand- 

 some Redstart, the 

 wary Nightingale, 

 the Blackcap, the 

 Garden Warbler, 

 the Great and Blue 

 Tits, the graceful 

 Long-tailed Tit, the 

 Chiffchaff, Willow 

 and Wood ^^'rens, 

 the irrepressible 

 Robin, the boister- 

 ous Blackbird, the 

 cautious Thrush, 

 dusky Hedge Spar- 

 row, sprightly Chaf- 

 finch and Jenny 

 Wren. 



No bird-lover can 

 possibly be con- 

 tented till he has 

 made the acquaint- 

 ance of the Night- 

 ingale and its song ; 

 and the Leigh 

 Woods give such 

 an opportunity dur- 

 ing May and the 

 early part of June, 

 for this peerless 

 songster loves the 

 seclusion of the 

 bush foUage. The 

 bird does not, how- 

 ever, resent obser- 

 vation if you remain 

 quiet and still. Its 

 presence is soon dis- 

 covered by hearing 

 a very rapid " wheet, wheet, wheet " 

 frequently repeated, and these notes are 

 so arresting that they at once command 

 the attention of a listener. Snatches of 

 song then generally follow. The full song 

 is sometimes to be heard at midday, 

 when the sun is bright and warm ; but 

 late in the evening twilight, when other 

 songsters are silent, is the time for hear- 

 ing the marvellous melodies to perfec- 

 tion. Beautiful as the song of Philomel 

 is, it is not wholly melodious. Many of 

 the strains are composed of a sometimes 

 toneless, sometimes harsh repetition. A 

 simple note uttered very rapidly will be 

 continued for two or three seconds. The 



