ORDER PASSERES. 4.3 



singing bird which establishes itself in cities. Its song is as 

 strong and sonorous as that of the chaffinch, but more 

 mellow, varied, and extended. In consequence of this it is 

 known by the name of the nightingale of North America. 

 The Americans, who have not this bird near their dwelling, 

 and are desirous of fixing it there, attach a calabash against 

 the house, or at the end of a perch in the middle of their 

 garden. Others construct, for the same purpose, a little 

 house, attached in like manner to the end of a perch. This 

 little nook rarely remains untenanted ; for the young couples, 

 on their return from the south, being forced to seek a district 

 where they may be isolated from their fellows, immediately 

 take possession of it. In default of these artificial retreats, 

 they make their nest in the hollow of a tree. Every place 

 which is close and obscure suits them best. Filaments of 

 roots, cattle-hair, moss, fine plants. Sec. constitute the 

 materials which this species employs without much art, and 

 heaps together without much order, as do most of the birds 

 that nestle in hollow trees. Its first brood consists usually of 

 from six to eight eggs, white, or flesh coloured, and spotted 

 with a purple red ; the second is less numerous, One takes 

 place at the arrival of the bird in the month of May, the 

 other in July. 



This species is extended through all North America, from 

 Canada to Louisiana. 



The Arada has been placed at the end of the ant-eaters, by 

 Buffon, and in our tabular view ; but as it has great analogies 

 with the wrens, we chuse to notice its habits here. In these 

 it differs from the ant-eaters ; it is solitary, perches on trees, 

 and never descends to the earth, but for the purpose of 

 catching ants, and other insects, of which it also eats. It 

 differs from them still more by its song, which is peculiarly 

 fine ; whereas all the ant-eaters utter nothing but cries or 

 sounds, totally destitute of all modulation. 



The traveller, who wanders through the immense and 



