MIGRATION AND FLIGHT. 103 



line extended further than the eye could reach, and 

 must have consisted of some thousands; there could 

 be no doubt of their being Jays, as several were 

 killed as they passed. But the noise of the guns 

 did not occasion the rest to deviate from their line 

 of flight: these birds, to all appearance, were then 

 coming from the continent. We have before noticed 

 the occasional wandering tendency of that steadiest 

 of all birds, the barn-door Goose; in fact, all birds 

 seem either at certain seasons, or under certain cir- 

 cumstances, to be seized with travelling propensities, 

 which they cannot resist. If any of our regularly 

 migatory birds are kept in an aviary or cage, when, 

 the usual time arrives for the departure of the rest 

 of their species, these prisoners, without having any 

 communication with their companions, will never- 

 theless manifest great uneasiness, and often die if 

 detained. We have seen this repeatedly in the 

 Redstart and Flycatcher, which, though carefully 

 supplied with the same food on which they have 

 thriven for weeks before, and been quiet and appa- 

 rently satisfied with their lot, will, early in Septem- 

 ber, begin to show great impatience, flying about 

 and striking against the bars of the aviary, and 

 usually dying, after a few days spent in ineffectual 

 endeavours to escape. 



This year (1837) an instance came under our 

 observation, rather at variance with what has been 

 stated, in the case of a Nightingale, reared from the 

 nest in the spring of 1835. It soon became tame, 

 and was kept in a cage till May, 1837, singing 

 always in the winter from Christmas till April, and 

 feeding readily upon minced pieces of meat, and 



