THE NIGHTINGALE. 355 



Mode of Taking. In these parts, it is a mere chance if one 

 be taken. This is, however, attempted by fixing limed twigs, 

 with meal worms attached, near where they are observed to 

 perch. How they are secured in countries where they are com- 

 mon, I do not know. It is said that they are lured by the Owl. 



Attractive Qualities. The male is prized as an exceedingly 

 good songster, especially singing by night, near a lamp. They 

 learn also to whistle tunes; to speak like a Starling, and 

 generally become exceedingly tame. 



145. THE NIGHTINGALE. 



Sylvia Lusdnia, Motacilla Luscinia, LIN. Rossignol, BUF. Die Nach- 

 tigall, BECH. 



Description. Were the Nightingale prized only for its 

 plumage, it would hardly deserve a place among the inmates of 

 the aviary. It is about the size of the House Sparrow, being 

 five Cinches in length, of which the tail measures two inches 

 and a quarter ; but in confinement, if well fed, and especially 

 if reared from the nest, it often attains the size of a Lark. 

 The beak, as in all birds of the same genus (Motacilla), is 

 straight, oval- shaped, thin, pointed, and having the two mandi- 

 bles of nearly the same size. It is seven lines long, on the upper 

 side dark brown, on the under light grey ; flesh coloured at 

 the root, and yellow inside. The iris is greyish brown ; the 

 feet nine lines in height, and brownish flesh colour. The 

 upper part of the body is greyish brown tinged with rust 

 colour, but in very old birds reddish ashen grey ; the rump 

 brownish red ; the throat, belly, and vent, white ; the breast 

 and sides whitish grey ; the knee bands grey. The larger 

 wing coverts are tipped with white ; the pen feathers greyish 

 brown, edged with rusty yellow ; the straight broad tail fea- 

 thers, which, as in all birds of this species, are very brittle, are 

 a dingy red. 



Those which are kept in cages, are sometimes darker, some- 

 times lighter, than the above description. In Nightingales 

 which hang near the windows of large well lighted rooms, 

 and which are not exposed to smoke either from the fire or an 

 oil lamp, the feathers of the upper part of the body are dark 

 grey, or light greyish brown, edged with rusty yellow ; and 

 those of the under part white, tinged with grey on the sides 



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