﻿WARBLER. 409 



we may therefore concede that it is an inhabitant of the 

 Afiatic regions, during fuch times as it is not to be found in 

 Europe, Hajfelquift * fpeaks of it as being in Paleftine ; and 

 Fryer -f- afcertains its being found about Chulminor in Perfia; it 

 is alfo fpoke of as a bird of China, Kamtfchatka \, and Japan [| ■, 

 at which lad place they are much efteemed, and fell dear ; as 

 they are alfo at Aleppo, where they are " in great abundance 

 " kept tame in houfes, and let out at a fmall rate to fuch as 

 " chufe it in the city, fo that no entertainment is made in the 

 " fpring without a concert of thefe birds §," We are almoft 

 certain of their not being found in America, though many of 

 their birds bear that name §§. 



None but the vileft .epicure would think of eating thefe charm- 

 ing fongfters ; yet we are told that their flefh is equal to that of 

 the Ortolan, and they are fatted in Gafcony for the table. Every 

 fchool-boy muft have read of Heliogabalus eating of Nightingales 

 tongues -, and that famed difh of the Roman tragedian AEfop t 

 which was compofed of thofe of every finging or talking bird J J. 



* He fays it is very common on the mores of the river Nile. 



f " The Nightingale, the fweet harbinger of the light, is a conftant chearer 

 " of thefe groves, charming with its warbling ftrains the heavieft foul into a 

 " pleafing extacy." Fryer's Travels, p. 248. 



% Ellis's Narrative, ii. p. 229. 



|| Kampfer Japan. 



§ Rujf. Alep. p. 7. 



§§ Virginian Nightingale, American Nightingale, Spanijh Nightingale. All 

 birds of a different fpecies, for certain. 



%t This difh is faid to have coft about 6843/. 10/. of our money. Br. 

 Zoo I. ii. 656, note. 



Vol. II. 3 G The 



