NATURAL HISTORY NOTES 
117 
Starlings in a wild state have only their natural notes — you can hardly call it 
a song. It is, however, composed of such a variety of sounds that other birds’ 
notes more or less appear to be copied. In captivity these birds are as good 
adepts in mimicry as any parrot. With respect to a thorn found sticking through 
the bottom of a nightingale’s nest, I have .seen some dozens of such nests, but 
never with a thorn protruding, as supposed by your correspondent. I cannot help 
thinking, with those who have made a life study of birds and animals, that such 
incidents ascribed to them are often at utter variance with nature. 
41, Heath Street, Hampstead, HIV. J. E. Whiting. 
May II, 1900. 
Magpie’s Counting Powers. Thorn in Nightingale’s Nest.— 
I should like to say a few words on these two points. I do not know the name 
of George de Roy ; but certainly the story which Mr. Mackie, in his interesting 
paper, has told of magpies counting up to three and no further was told many 
years ago of roohs. Which is correct, or whether both or either, I do not at all 
know. 
As to the curious fancy of a thorn in a nightingale’s nest, I am reminded 
of a certain duet, which I must have heard sung at least fifty years ago, “ As it 
fell upon a day.” I do not know who wrote the words, but they have the usual 
fancies of the female nightingale singing, and singing for sorrow : 
“ She, poor bird, as all forlorn. 
Leaned her breast up till a thorn ” — 
Is this the mythical thorn in the nightingale’s nest ? 
I may just add that if such writers could have watched the perky and sprightly 
movements of a nightingale as on my lawn last month, they would have recon- 
sidered their verdict as to the melancholy of the nightingale, even without 
Coleridge’s eloquent protest. 
Otham Parsonage, Maidstone. F. M. Mii.lard. 
[No doubt the piece of folk-lore mentioned by the Rev. C. A. Clutterbuck 
has its origin in the song beginning — 
“As it fell upon a day 
In the merry month of May, 
Sitting in a pleasant shade 
Which a grove of myrtles made. 
Beasts did leap, and birds did sing. 
Trees did grow and plants did spring ; 
Everything did banish moan 
Save the nightingale alone ; 
She, poor bird, as all forlorn, 
Lean’d her breast up till a thorn. 
And there sung the dolefull’st ditty. 
That to hear it was great pity ; 
‘ Fie, fie, fie ! ’ now would she cry ; 
‘ Tereu, Tereu ! ’ by and by ; 
That to hear her so complain. 
Scarce I could from tears refrain. 
For her griefs, so lively .shown. 
Made me think upon mine own.” 
This is ofteri attributed to Shakespeare, appearing in “ .Sonnets to .Sundry Notes 
of Music ” in the volume called “ The Passionate Pilgrim,” published with his 
name in 1599. It is, however, by Richard Barnfield (born 1 574), of Brasenose 
College, Oxford, and was published by him in 1598. Its suggestion is Virgil, 
Georgies, Book IV., 11 . 511-515:- 
“ Qualis populnea moerens Philomela sub umbra 
Amissos queritur fetus, quos durus arator 
Observans nido implumes detraxit : at ilia 
Flet noctem, ramoque sedens miserabile carmen 
Integrat, et maestis late loca questibus implet.” 
Dryden Englishes the lines : — 
