98 CLARKE AND NKLSON : THP: BIRDS OF YORKSHIRE, 



100 yards from the place it sang in the year before, but it did 

 not sing long, or was taken or frightened. This shows that they 

 come to the same place again if it suits them. One year we had 

 three Nightingales singing, two in Skelton Spring and one in 

 Overton Wood, but I have not heard of any lately. ... I find 

 out on enquiry that the Nightingale was brought to me in 1866 

 and was heard the two following years, but never since that I 



am aware of close to this place There was one at 



Clifton, a suburb of York, in Mrs. Cattle's garden somewhat 

 about the same time, and she was so annoyed at the lot of 

 people who came late to hear it that she got some birdcatcher 

 to take it, at least this is what I was told, I cannot say whether 

 it is true or not. The Revd. J- Overton told me of one in 

 Sessay Wood [eighteen miles N.W. of York], a few years ago 

 [1875, W.E.C.], that people went to hear in the evening from 

 Easingwold and the neighbourhood. Mr. Overton is now dead, so 

 he cannot be appealed to, but he knew the note of the Nightin- 

 gale well and was a very fair ornithologist. Sessay is five miles 

 south of Thirsk. I cannot help thinking that a few Nightingales 

 come north more frequently than is thought to be the case, but 

 so many don't know the note, and if they did do not care.' 

 In Gill's 'ValUs Eboracensis,' published in 1852, p. 412, the 

 occurrence of the Nightingale near Easingwold is thus alluded 

 to: 'about half-a-mile from Huby, near the road leading to 

 ToUerton, are the fragments of a ruined mansion or monastery, 

 called the Mote, presenting an area of about 600 square yards, 

 surrounded by a deep dyke or fosse, twelve feet in width and 

 seven feet deep. It is now overgrown with Oak and Ash, and 

 for the last four years has been the solitary but favourite retreat, 

 where, in summer evenings the Nightingale 



"Sings darkling; and in shadiest covert hid, 

 Tunes her nocturnal note."' 

 For the following information relating to the districts of 

 Wetherby and Boston Spa I am indebted to the Rev. J. 

 Chaloner, of Newton Kyme, who says : ' as far as I can re- 



Trpiis. V.N.Um 1898 (pub. 1901): Series li 



