Birds. 2485 



His attention was attracted to it by the superb melody which it 

 uttered ; and not being aware that it was so admired a bird, he lay in 

 wait to kill it. Ne^er having heard such exquisite notes before, he 

 was induced to listen to them for a considerable time, and described 

 most enthusiastically " the doubling and redoubling of her voice." 

 Sometimes they seemed emananating from the bushes below, some- 

 times from the trees above ; sometimes near, at others distant ; but 

 always delightful. It proved to be a fine male. The nightingale 

 hushes his notes on cold damp nights, but is heard to perfection on 

 those which are still and warm : he commences about ten o'clock, 

 and continues at intervals until towards three in the morning ; but his 

 song does not attain full power immediately upon its commencement. 

 They love woods of thick undergrowth. 1 had once an opportunity 

 of seeing a beautifully constructed nest of the nightingale : it consisted 

 of oak and beech leaves, externally arranged — with much neatness 

 and regularity — around the soft dissected leaves of the poplar. It 

 was found in a wood, on the ground, situated in a shallow hole made 

 by the foot of a huntsman's horse during the previous winter. 



Blackcap Warbler [Sylvia atricapilla). In 1845 I recorded each 

 day when the blackcap's song was heard, and found that he com- 

 menced on May 3 and continued almost daily to June 14. 



Garden Warbler [Sylvia hortensis). This sweet sylvan bird is very 

 sparingly distributed here. I have heard his song up to August 2. 

 He keeps pretty close to the village, hiding himself amongst hollies, 

 laurels, the thick bushes of shrubberies, or the vegetables of horticul- 

 tural grounds. His wild and singularly flute- like melody renders him 

 one of the most attractive visitants, and he richly deserves the praise 

 which naturalists have heaped upon him. 



Common Whitethroat [Sylvia cinerea). Abounds in all the sylvan 

 and pastoral parts. 



Lesser Whitethroat [Sylvia sylviella). Quite as numerous as the 

 former. Amongst the eggs which are annually taken by our village 

 boys, those of this bird form a distinguished proportion. They are 

 sad enemies to our gardens and vegetable fields, eating with avidity 

 red currants, peas, and raspberries. His song ceases here about June 

 18. The young are hatched about July 7. 



Wood Warbler [Sylvia sylvicola). The wood warbler, willow war- 

 bler and chiff-chaff are all confounded together by country people, 

 and called by the name of ' bank jug.' The first name is derived 

 from the situation of the nest; the last from its habit of skilfully 

 hiding it from observation. A partridge is said to 'jug' when it 

 VII X 



