CiassIb NIGHTANGAL E: 
hedges, and low coppices; and generally keep in 
the middle of the buth, fo that they are very rarely 
feen. They form their neft of oak leaves, a few 
bents and reeds. ‘The eggs are of a deep brown. 
When the young firft come abroad, and are 
helplefs, the old birds make a plaintive and jar- 
ring noife with a fort of fnapping as if in menace, 
purfuing along the hedge the paffengers. 
They begin their fong in the evening, and con- 
tinue it the whole night. Thefe, their vigils, did 
not pafs unnoticed by the antients: the flumbers 
of thefe birds were proverbial; and not to reft as 
much as the nightingale, exprefied avery bad fleep- 
er*. This was the favorite bird of the Britzjb 
poet, who omits no opportunity of introducing it, 
and almoft conftantly noting its love of folitude and 
night. How finely does it ferve to compofe part 
of the folemn fcenery of his Pex/ferofo; when he de- 
{cribes it 
In her faddeft {weeteft plight, — 
Smoothing the rugged brow of night ; 
While Cyzthia checks her dragon yoke, 
Gently o’er th’ accuftom’d oak ; 
Sweet bird, that fhunn’ft the noife of folly, 
Moft mufical, moft melancholy ! 
Thee, chauntrefs, oft the woods among, 
I woo to hear thy evening fong. 
* Alian var. hif. 577. both in the text and note, It muft 
be remarked, that nightingales fing alfo in the day. 
Bba In 
367 

