BRITISH BIRDS. 67 



ravenous, and far from clean ; they never learn, and in confinement rarely 

 utter a note. The Icterus group is the reverse ; it is exceedingly clever." 



I can confirm these facts as regards Icterus vulgaris, of w^hich I have two. 

 They are excellent guards and give notice of the approach of each stranger, 

 v^rhistle several tunes ; and one, before I had him, saved by his vigilance a 

 house in the West Indies from being plundered. Three negroes got in ; but 

 the master heard the bird's note of alarm and caught them. 



DAULIAS LUSCINIA, Linn. 



(The Nightingale.) 



This, with proper care and knowledge, is a very easy bird to keep in a 

 cage ; and I have known some instances of aged pets of the species, and 

 heard the Nightingales sing in a wild state in the darkest nights. As to the 

 dates of going and returning, the first bird at Brighton and Eastbourne in 

 1859 was seen Saturday, April 16. Aug. 2, 1860, young ones were passing 

 on a voyage they had never been before, i. e. across the sea. The following 

 letter (to the Editor of the 'Times,' June 14, 1872) from a practical man 

 is so interesting that I give it nearly in full : — 



" Nightingale- Trapping. 



" Sir, — Respecting bird- trappers, I hope you will give an old trapper 

 an opportunity to give the public the benefit of his experience. With the 

 exception of Epping Forest, I think I have explored nearly every spot of 

 brushwood large enough for a Nightingale to live in within a radius of about 

 twelve miles from London. For nearly a quarter of a century I have spent 

 my Sundays, weather permitting, in the accessible woods, to catch or watch 

 birds, according to the season ; and I should be glad if birdcatchers could be 



h 



