NATURAL HISTORY. 
m 
J? lie sts, they chaunted out two stories. One of their stories 
“ was concerning the tapster and his wife, who refused to 
“ follow him to the wars as he desired her; for the husband 
“ endeavoured to persuade his wife, as far as I understood by 
the birds, that he would lsave his service in that inn, and o-o 
“ to the wars in hopes of plunder. But she refused to follow 
“ him, resolving to stay either at Ratisbone, or go to Nurem- 
“ berg. There was a long and earnest contention between 
‘‘ them ; and all this dialogue the birds repeated. They even 
“ repeated the unseemly words which were cast out between 
‘‘ them, and which ought rather to have been suppressed and 
kept a secret. 1 he other story was concerning the war which 
“ the emperor was then threatening against the Protestants ; 
u which the birds probably heard from some of the <rene- 
“ rals that had conferences in the house. These thiuo-s did 
“ they repeat in the night after twelve o’clock, when there 
was a deep silence. But in the day time, for the most part, 
1 they were silent, and seemed to do nothing but meditate 
“ aiK ' revolve with themselves upon what the guests conferred 
“ together as they sat at table, or in their walks.” 
Such is the sagacity ascribed to the nightingale. But there 
is a little bird, rather celebrated for its affection to mankind 
than its singing, which, however, in our climate, has the 
sweetest note of all others. The reader already perceives that 
we mean the red-breast, the well-known friend of man, that 
is found in every hedge', and makes it vocal. The note of 
otnei buds is louder, and their inflections more capricious; 
but this bird’s voice is soft, tender, and well supported; and 
the more to be valued as we enjoy it the greatest part of the 
winter. If the nightingale’s song has been compared to the 
fiddle, the red-breast’s voice has all the delicacy of the flute. 
The Red-start is a bird of passage, like the nightirio'ale. 
Its forehead is white ; the cheeks and throat black ;° the neck 
and back of a bluish grey ; and the breast, &c. are red. It 
has a pleasing note, but will not, endure confinement. 
I he Black -cap and the wren , though so very diminutive, 
are yet prized by some for their singing. The former is called 
by some the mock nightingale; and the latter is admired for 
the loudness ot its note compared to the little body whence 
it issues. 
The Hedge- Sparrow is a well-known bird, which has a 
sweet and plaintive note, which it begins with tlie first frosty 
mornings, and continues for some time in the spruit. The 
Wheat-ear is more celebrated for Hie delicacy of its flesh, than 
for the excellence of its melody. The numbers ensnared in 
the neighbourhood of Eastbourn, are said to amount annually 
