74 EASTERN NIGHTINGALE. 



The Eastern Nightingale is an inhabitant of the eastern parts of 

 Europe. It is found in the south of Sweden — in Pomerania and Fin- 

 land, in the south of Germany and Switzerland, Poland, Hungary, and 

 Dalmatia. According to Temminck it is also found in Spain, but this 

 is doubted by Count Miihle. It ranges south as far as the Volga, 

 the Caucasus, Egypt, and Persia. It is rare in France, though M. 

 Gerbe records the appearance of two specimens in the neighbourhood 

 of Paris, in September, 1847. It does not occur in Holland. 



Count Miihle informs us that it appears later than the Nightingale, 

 but that it chooses the same localities, preferring, however, the neigh- 

 bourhood of water and marshes. It likes to select its dwelling in 

 the deep-lying thickets among the cultivated islands on the large rivers. 

 In Germany it especially frequents the shores of the Don, Oder, Elbe^ 

 and their tributaries, but is rarely found on the Rhine. 



Of its appearance in Italy, Salvador! (Fauna D'ltalia-ucelli, p. 97,) 

 remarks, "This species differs from the Common Nightingale by its 

 general tints being more obscure, and by the colour of the chest being 

 deeper. 



In nearly all the Venetian Catalogues this species is registered as 

 accidental, while Durazzo affirms that it is among the birds of Liguria; 

 he at the same time doubts whether it has not been wrongly annexed 

 to the Italian list, since the young of the Common Nightingale could 

 easily be mistaken for individuals of this species. Perini announces it 

 upon the faith of bird-fanciers j but De Betta seems inclined to doubt 

 its appearance in the Veronese territory. Cara announces it among 

 the birds of Sardinia, but I believe wrongly, and in fact Mr. A. Brook 

 assured me that an individual received from Cara as belonging to this 

 species was only the Common Nightingale." 



In its habits the Eastern Nightingale appears more impetuous and 

 not so graceful as its congener; its song is deeper and louder, and by 

 some not thought so pleasing. It builds generally on stumps of trees. 

 It lays five or six eggs, which, as will be seen by the figure, are 

 very similar to those of our well-known species. Count Miihle says 

 the e^g is generally darkly spotted, which is not however mentioned 

 by Temminck, and denied by Degland. All the specimens sent me by 

 Moeschler and others are deep olive, like that figured; one lighter in 

 colour, but none of them with any spots. 



The plumage is so like that of the Common Nightingale, that it 

 is not necessary to give any lengthened detail. The male and female 

 have the upper parts of a dull grey brown; clear grey, tinted with 

 darker on the chest; tail less brightly marked with russet than in the 



