THE NIGHTINGALE. 4 1 



to the place of their birth. For some inex- 

 plicable reason, a limit appears to be set to 

 the migration of the Nightingale, which has 

 no parallel in the case of other migrants. 



As autumn approaches it moves southwards 

 towards the Mediterranean, and spends the 

 winter months in North Africa, Egypt, and 

 Asia Minor. We cannot help thinking that the 

 Nightingale and many other birds which visit 

 us in summer and nest with us, must also nest 

 in what we term their winter quarters ; other- 

 wise it would be impossible, considering the 

 immense numbers which are captured on their 

 first arrival, not only in England, but through- 

 out central and southern Europe, to account for 

 the apparently undiminished forces which reap- 

 pear in the succeeding spring. 



The late Mr. Blyth, however, was of a dif- 

 ferent opinion. Criticizing the above remarks, 

 he wrote : — 



" The only birds known to me that breed in 

 their winter quarters are two species of Sand- 

 martin {Cotyle riparia and C. sinensis). In India 



