74 BRITISH BIRDS. 



of migration, was entirely absent. The nearest approach 

 to song, and the only example I ever met with during 

 August, September, and practically all October, was that 

 of a Nightingale, one of several in the Navy House trees, 

 that I was watching, in the early morning of 26th 

 August. This bird uttered a few of its liquid notes — but 

 they were but an echo of the Nightingale's true song. 

 Probably my presence a few yards away was the 

 cause of this little outburst, which it struck me 

 corresponded to the nervous song that warblers often 

 utter when they first find an intruder at their nest. The 

 other Nightingales in the tree were also uneasy at my 

 proximity, but only showed it by making low croaks 

 and agitated movements of the tail. 



Bluethroats, of which species the first representatives 

 appeared in mid-October, were not heard to sing until 

 after the beginning of November, and then only 

 occasionally, and not well. 



Robins were first heard to sing in December, although 

 the arrival of the species dated from the latter part of 

 October, and the Chiffchaff, whose passage had begun 

 in mid-October, was heard to sing on one occasion only — 

 the early morning of the 4th December. Curiously, this 

 was a dull, still morning, and it was quite a surprise to 

 hear not one, but several Chiff chaffs singing away for 

 a few moments (only) as if it were June in England. 



I can record only one other species as having sung at 

 all — a Reed-Warbler — which came out on to the end of 

 a tamarisk spray and gave forth a rapid, but clear, jumble 

 of notes. This was on October 27th, the migration of 

 the species having commenced in August ; and a few of 

 its representatives (of which this was very likely one), 

 remained to winter in the district. 



Even in winter the Song-Thrush did not appear to 

 sing, and the Cuckoo, Golden Oriole, Hoopoe, Corn-Crake, 

 and other species with striking "song-calls" alike went 

 by in absolute silence. 



In the British Islands as we all know, some species sing 



