Nightingales in Devonshire. 323 



In one of a series of letters which appeared in the 

 Standard some time since on the question whether the 

 nightingale is heard in Devonshire, " H. B. F. " said — 



" I have known Devonshire intimately for forty-two years, 

 during ten of which my people lived in the outskirts of Exeter, 

 but none of us were ever lucky enough to hear a night- 

 ingale ; in fact, the nearest point to Devonshire in which 

 I have heard it- is the Somerset side of Exmoor, near 

 Minehead. In saying this I by no means intend to imply 

 the shadow of a doubt on what " R. C. " says, but I 

 welcome his fact as proving my own idea, which always 

 has been that the nightingale is to be heard in Devonshire. 

 It would be very interesting if observers are found who 

 have heard it in other parts of the country where it has 

 been considered unknown." 



Mr. Mann Jones's evidence is precisely of the kind that 

 H. B. F. desiderates, and may be of some value — more 

 especially in leading others to observe and to tell the results 

 of their observations. But it is evident that the greatest 

 care is necessary in the start to distinguish between the 

 genuine and the imitated song, for, if other birds can recall 

 and reproduce the nightingale's song months after he has 

 ceased, then no end of mistakes are possible on mere first 

 impressions. And this may affect reports of other birds' 

 songs than that of the nightingale. The starling often imi- 

 tates the notes of the oyster-catcher and curlew with the 

 greatest accuracy, that of the sandpiper too ; and will often 

 so reproduce the cry of the corncrake or landrail as to de- 

 ceive even careful observers. And not only so, but he will 

 do this in advance of the arrival of some of these birds, so 

 that the clever rascal must, just for the fun of the thing, 

 have been reproducing a note learned during the previous 

 year. So that, in all such matters as these, it is very needful 

 to be wary and make sure of your bird, just as in the case 

 of disguises assumed, the detective needs to make very sure 

 of his man. 



