THE NIGHTINGALE. 37 



It is curious how wide-spread is the behef 

 that the Nightingale warbles only at eve. 

 The reason, no doubt, is that amidst the 

 general chorus by day its song is less noticed 

 or attended to. But that it sings constantly 

 by day is a fact, of which we have satisfied 

 ourselves repeatedly. Moreover, it is by no 

 means the only bird to sing at night. The 

 Sedge Warbler, Grasshopper Warbkr, Wood- 

 lark, Skylark, and Thrush, may often be heard 

 long after sunset ; while the Cuckoo is fre- 

 quently to be heard at midnight, and the Land- 

 rail constantly. 



It would appear that of the large number of 

 persons who profess a love for song birds very 

 few, comparatively, have the ear to ' distinguish 

 a song unless they can see the author of it. 

 Hence it frequently happens that they listen to 

 a Thrush or Blackcap in the early spring, and 

 immediately inform their friends that they have 

 heard the Nightingale weeks before it has 

 reached this country. 



Many poets have perpetuated the odd belief 



