ON THE SMALL BIRDS OF FLIGHT. 
the nightingale; which is not a bird of flight, in 
the sense the bird-catchers use this term. The 
nightingale, like the robin, wren, and many 
ether singing birds, only moves from hedge to 
hedge, and does not take the periodical fights 
in October and March. 'The persons who catch 
these birds, make use of small trap-nets, without 
call-birds, and are considered as inferior in dig- 
nity to other bird-catchers, who will not rank 
with them. 
The nightingale being the first of singing 
birds, we shall here insert a few particulars re- 
lating to it, that were transmitted to us since 
the description of that bird was printed. 
Its arrival is expected, by the trappers in 
the neighborhood of London, the first week in 
April; at the beginning none but cocks are 
taken, but in a few days the hens make their 
appearance, generally by themselves, though 
sometimes a few males come along with them. 
The latter are distinguished from the females 
not only by their superior size, but by a great 
swelling of their vent, which commences on the 
first arrival of the hens. 
They do not build till the middle of ae 
and generally chuse a quickset to make their. 
nest in. 
If the nightingale is kept in a cage, it often 
