177" o<F{&ciTHOLogr. BoouT. 



writing fo many wonderful things concerning theie little Creatures, had I not my felf 

 feen with my Eyes, and heard them with my ears uttering fuch things as I have re- 

 lated. Neither yet can I of a fudden write all, or call to remembrance every parti- 

 cular that I have heard. 



The Nightingale is very impatient of cold, and therefore in Winter-time either 

 hides it felf in fome lurking place, or flies away into hot Countries. Ireland ( as Bo- 

 terus relates ) is altogether deftitute of Nightingales $ which whether it be true or 

 not I cannot tell. In the South part of England in Summer time they .are very frequent, 

 but in the North more rare. Some build upon the ground at hedg-bottoms, others in 

 thick green bufhes and (hrubs. They lay four or five Eggs. 



It is called in Italian, Rojfignuolo, from its red or fulvous colour 5 or ( as Aldrovan- 

 dus rather thinks ) from the diminutive Latine word, Lufeiniola. 



In Italy among thole little birds, which growing fat in the Autumn are fold in- 

 difcriminately for Beccafcos, the Nightingale is one. 



It breeds in the Spring-time about t he month of May, building its Neft of the leaves 

 of trees, ftraws and mofs. Itfeldom fingsnear its Neft for fear of difcovering it,but for 

 the moft part about a ftones caft diftant. 



It is proper to this Bird at his firft coming ( faith Olina ) to occupy or feize upon 

 one place as its Freehold, into which it will not admit any other Nightingale but its 

 Mate. 



It haunts for the moft part in cool or fhady places, where are little Rivulets ofwa- 

 ter, fuch as are Quick-fet hedges, fmall groves, and bufhes, where are no very high 

 trees, for it delights in no high trees except the Oak. 



Additions to the Hiftory of the Nightingale out of Ol'ma y and others. 



£. I. 



The choice of the Nefllings, and how to take and order them for Ringing. 



MAke choice of fuch to bring up for ringing as are bred earlieft in the Springs 

 becaufe, 1. They prove the beft fingers, as having more time to con and 

 pra&ife their notes before Winter. 2. They are eafieft rear'd, and be- 

 come ftrong to endure the cold, having mued their feathers before Autumn, whereas 

 the fecond brood, muing them later, are fubjeel: to be over-run with Vermine, and 

 often furprized and killed by the cold, while they are bare of feathers. 3. Such con- 

 fequently prove more healthful and long-lived. 



The young Nightingales (faith Olina) muft be taken when they are well feathered 5 

 £ faith a late Englifh Author, when they are indifferently well feathered, not too 

 little, nor too much : If too much, they will be fullen 5 and if too little, if you keep 

 them not very warm, they will die with cold, and then alfo they will be much longer 

 in bringing up ; ~] and together with the Neft put in the bottom of a little basket made 

 of ftraw, covering the Neft fo that they cannot get out, not tangle or double their 

 Legs 5 keeping them at firft in a quiet place where few people refort, feeding them 

 eight or ten times a day with heart of a Veal or Weather raw, well cleanfed and 

 freed from skin, films, finews, and fat, cut into fmall pieces of the bignefs of a writing 

 Pen. [ Our Engliih Author mingles a like quantity of white bread, (baked in water, 

 and a liule fqueezed, with the flefh, chopping both fmall as if it were for mine'd 

 meat,^] giving to each bird upon a fticks end two or three fmall pieces [ of the quanti- 

 ty of a grey Peafe] at a time. Make them drink two or three times a day, by put- 

 ting to them a little Cotton- wool dipt in water, on the end of a ftick : Keeping them 

 in this manner covered, till tfiey begin to find their feet, and leap out of the Neft : 

 Then put them in a Cage with frefh ftraw, fine mofs or hay at the bottom, [ lining the 

 Pearcheswith green bays, for they are very fubjeel: to the cramp at the firft ] feeding 

 and ordering them as before, tillyou fee they begin to feed themfelves, which you 

 ' fball perceive by obferving them pick the meat from the ftick 5 then take of the heart 

 fome pieces of the bignefs of a nut,and f aften them to the Cage fides. When they are 

 come to feed themfelves, give them four or five times a day a gobbet or two. Let 

 them have a cup of water very clean and bright, changing the water in Summer-time 

 twice a day, doing the fame by the flefh, that it grow not fbwer nor ftink. When they 



are 



