366' THE NIGHTINGALE. 



frequent gardens, valleys, and the banks of streams ; and to 

 such an extent do I believe this distinction to exist, that I 

 venture to assert it is only by accident if a night singer be 

 found in the plains. They are, for instance, not uncommon 

 on the borders of the Thuringian Forest, near Wallershausen ; 

 while, on the contrary, only the diurnal singers are found in 

 the level country near Gotha. 



It is a pity that the period during which the Nightingale 

 sings is so short ; as even in a wild state it sings only for 

 three months, and not with equal vigour during the whole of 

 that short time. It is heard most frequently from the time of 

 its arrival till the young birds break the shell; after that 

 period it sings less, and with less energy, as its principal at- 

 tention is necessarily directed to the feeding of its brood. 

 About midsummer its song ceases altogether, and one hears in 

 the woods only the twittering of the young birds, in their 

 attempts to acquire the paternal song. In confinement, birds 

 which have been taken when old, begin to sing as early as 

 November, and do not become entirely silent till Easter. The 

 young birds, however, which have been reared from the nest, 

 will sometimes, if placed under good instruction, sing for 

 seven months in the year. If not hung where they can hear 

 a good singer, they never acquire their natural song perfectly, 

 but intermix with it notes of other birds ; while, on the other 

 hand, if possessed of a good voice and memory, they sometimes 

 improve upon the instructions of their teacher. This, how- 

 ever, is a rare occurrence, as out of twenty young birds reared in 

 the aviary, it is doubtful if even one prove a thoroughly good 

 singer. The best are those which are caught in August, just 

 before their migration, and which, in the following spring, 

 are put under the tuition of an accomplished singer. 



Those which are caught in spring, and are desired to sing 

 the same season, should be well fed, and hung in a solitary and 

 quiet spot. The cage should also be kept covered with a thin 

 green cloth, or green boughs. I must not forget to add a word 

 in reprobation of the barbarity of those persons, who, in order to 

 enjoy for a longer period the song of this delightful bird, are 

 cruel enough to deprive it of sight. 



It is said, that the male Nightingale and female Redbreast, if 

 allowed the full range of the aviary, will sometimes breed. 

 My own experience does not bear out this assertion. 



