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If, therefore, a bird, which is fuppofed to migrate in the win- 

 ter, pafTes almofr. under the nofe of a Linnaean, he pays but little 

 attention to it, becaufe he cannot examine the beak, by which he 

 is perhaps to clafs the bird. Thus I conceive, that the fuppofmg 

 a nightingale to be a bird of paffage arifes from not readily diftin- 

 guifhing it, when feen in a hedge, or on the wing °. This bird 

 is known to the ear of every one, by its moft finking and capital 

 notes, but to the eye of very few indeed ; becaufe the plumage is 

 dull, nor is there any thing peculiar in its make. 



The nightingale rings perhaps for two months p , and then is never 

 heard again till the return of the fpring, when it is fuppofed to 

 migrate to us from the continent, with redftarts, and feveral other 

 birds. 



That it cannot really do fo, feems highly probable, from the 

 following reafons. 



This bird is fcarcely ever feen to fly above twenty yards, but 

 creeps at the bottom of the hedges, in fearch of maggots, and 

 other infects, which are found in the ground. 



If the fwallow is not fupplied with any food during its paffage 

 acrofs oceans, much lefs can the nightingale be fo accommodat- 

 ed ; and I have great reafon to believe, from the death of birds in 

 a cage, which have had nothing to eat for twenty-four hours, 

 that thefe delicate and tender animals cannot fupport a longer fafr, 

 , though ufing no exercife at all. - 



Thomas Willifel, who aflifted Ray and Willughby much with regard 

 to the natural hiftory of the animals of this ifland, never ftirred anywhere 

 without his gun and riming- tackle. 



° No two birds fly in the fame manner, if their motions are accurately 

 attended to. 



p Whilft it rings even, the bird can feldom be diftingutfhed, becaufe it 

 is then almoft perpetually in hedges, when the foliage is thicker!, upon 

 the firft burft of the fpring, and when no infects can as yet have deftroyed 

 confiderable parts of the leaves. 



