188 THE PENSILE WARBLER. 



exertion, it could be excessively brilliant. Whek this bird sang its 

 song round, in its whole compass, he observed sixteen different 

 beginnings and closes ; at the same time that the intermediate notes 

 were commonly varied in their succession with so much judgment, 

 as to produce a most pleasing variety. Another point of superiority 

 in the Nightingale, is its continuance of song without a pause; which 

 Mr. Barrington observed to be sometimes not less than twenty 

 seconds. Whenever respiration, however, became necessary, it was 

 taken with as much judgment as by an opera-singer. 



In this place it may be remarked, that the Nightingales in general, 

 in a wild state, do not eing above ten weeks in the year ; while thos^ 

 rcnfined in a cage continue their song for nine or ten months; and a 

 caged Nightingale sings much more sweetly than those which we hear 

 abroad in the spring. The latter, as the bird-fanciers term it, are so 

 rank that they seldom sing anything but short and loud jerks: whicL, 

 consequently, cannot be compared to the notes of a caged bird, sim.,3 

 the instrument is thus overstrained. 



From the dissections of several birds made by Mr. John Hunter, At 

 the request of the Hon. Daines Barrington, it appeared that, in the 

 best singers, the muscles of the larynx were the strongest. Those in 

 the Nightingale were stronger than in any other bird of the same size. 

 When we consider the size of many singing birds, it is really amazing 

 to what a distance their notes can be heard. It is supposed that the 

 song of a Nightingale may be heard above half a mile if the evening 

 be calm. 



Nightingales will adopt the notes of other birds; and they will 

 even chaunt the stiff' airs of a Nightingale-pipe. They may be 

 instructed to sing by turns with a chorus, and to repeat their couplet 

 at the proper time. Mr. Stack house, of Pendarvis in Cornwall, informs 

 me that he has remarked of the Nightingale that it will modulate its 

 voice to any given key: he says, if any person whistle a note, the bird 

 will immediately try, in its strain, an unison with it. Nightingales 

 may also be taught to articulate words. 



Nightingales are solitary birds; never associating in 'flocks, like 

 many of the smaller birds, but hiding themselves in the thickest parts 

 of hedges and bushes, and seldom singing but during the night. 



The London bird-catchers catch Nightingales in net-traps, (some- 

 what larger than cabbage-nets,) the bottoms of which are surrounded 

 with an iron ring. These are baited with meal-worms from bakers' 

 shops; and ten or a dozen birds have sometimes been caught in a daj 

 by this means 



THE PENSILE WARBLER. 



The Pensile Warbler is nearly five inches long. The bill is dusky ; 

 the head grayish black; and the back deep gray. Round the eye 

 there is a white streak, and between that and the bill a range of yellow 

 dots. The throat, neck, and breast, are yellow. The belly is white ; 

 and the sides of the neck and body are dotted with black spots. 



