48 TURDJD.E. 



" This bird is very common around Tangier, arriving during 

 March and April, passing on across the Straits to return in 

 August and September. Great quantities remain to breed 

 about the thick bushy places, chiefly constructing their nest 

 with the fibres of the palmetto, the same material used by the 

 Arabs in making their tents." Favier. 



The Nightingale is equally abundant on the Spanish side. 

 The number heard singing in the Cork-wood and elsewhere is 

 perfectly surprising, every clump of bramble-brakes having its 

 pair, though in some seasons they are more numerous than in 

 others ; but there are always a great many. They are to be 

 heard on the Rock for about ten days or a fortnight after their 

 arrival, but nearly always pass on, though they have been known 

 to nest, as in 1871. My earliest dates of their arrival are the 

 8th of April 1868, 2nd of April 1869, 7th of April 1870, 1st of 

 April 1871, 21st of March 1872, Tangier; 30th of March 1874, 

 Tetuan; noticed by Mr. Meade-Waldo on 22nd of March 1892, 

 Tangier; 31st of March, 1894, Sierra Retin. Verner's dates of 

 arrival are 5th of April, 1876 ; 3rd of April, 1877 ; 1st of April, 

 1879. The majority arrive about the 12th of April. 



They begin to lay about the 1st of May, and usually build on 

 the ground ; but sometimes the nest is placed in ivy or rubbish 

 some two or three feet high. In swampy jungles it is built at 

 the bottom of a bush, and has the lower half constructed of dead 

 leaves, the upper part being made of dry sedges, like that of 

 Savi's Warbler (Locustella luscmioides) ; only it is much neater, 

 and lined with fine grass, hair, and occasionally feathers. As 

 a rule there are young Nightingales in the Cork-wood by the 

 24th of May. Verner found young as late as the 3rd of 

 July, 1879. 



General colour russet-brown above ; upper tail-coverts and tail chestnut- 

 brown ; underparts huffish white. 



First primary longer than primary-coverts. 



Young in first plumage spotted like a Robin. Length 6| inches. 



