6 WARBLER. 



north, all communication is cut off between the sexes, till the wind 

 changes, frequently for a fortnight or more, but if the weather is 

 warm with a south or west wind, the females follow in a few days ; 

 and this arrival of the latter may be known, by the singing of the 

 males ; if they are very vociferous, their mates may be immediately 

 expected ; if on the contrary, none will appear, for both are actuated 

 by the same cause ; this, therefore, seems to account for the males 

 only being caught at their first coming, rather than there being a 

 greater number of that sex. 



The nest is made about the end of May, in a low bush, or a 

 quickset hedge, well covered with foliage, for the sake of conceal- 

 ment : it is composed of dry leaves, mixed with grass and fibres, and 

 lined with hair, down, or dry grass; sometimes the nest is made upon 

 a little rising ground ; the eggs four or five, greenish brown, weigh- 

 ing about 47 grains each. The male bird, as well as others of the 

 migratory Warblers, remains on the spot to which it first resorts, 

 attracting the female by its song ; and if by accident the female is 

 killed, the male, which had become silent, resumes his song, and will 

 continue to sing late in the summer, or till he finds another mate ; in 

 which case, these will breed at a later season ; which accounts for the 

 appearance of this bird having two or more broods in a year.* It 

 may be observed, that the Nightingales rarely make the nest near 

 each other, but when from necessity it is the case, the males are 

 perpetually engaged in combat ; shewing that harmony of voice, 

 and that of disposition, are not always found in the same subject. 



This admired Species is a summer inhabitant of France, Italy, 

 Germany, and Sweden,t and as far North as Siberia, also at Kamts- 

 chatka ; is well known in Greece, and the Isles of Archipelago. 



* Hist. des. Ois. 



f Linnaeus mentions six or seven places; but we believe it is rarely found, except in the 

 neighbourhood of Swart Sjo Palace, 60 miles from Stockholm, belonging to the Swedish 

 Crown, by tradition said to have been first noticed there ; two or three are often heard there 

 at midnight, when many people attend to be witnesses of the circumstance.— Mr. Skoge. 



