127 
THE NIGHTINGALE. 
Philomela luscinia.— Swainson. 
PLATE VII. 
Motacilla luscinia, Will. Linn Sylvia luscinia, Lath 
Philomela luscinia, Swain. Selby. 
This far-famed songster has been alike cele- 
brated by historians and poets. We have never 
yet enjoyed the treat of its midnight music, for 
the food or climate of North Britain seems hith- 
erto unfavourable to its existence ; and not even 
the perseverance of Sir John Sinclair has been 
able to naturalize it to our colder soil ; never- 
theless, we can conceive the power of its melody 
swelling on the balmy breeze of evening, or 
poured forth during the stillness of night. There 
is little else attractive about the bird, for its 
manners are shy, and its dress unobtrusive. In 
some parts of the south of England, the Night- 
ingale appears to be far from uncommon, but at 
the same time it is very local in distribution. 
On the eastern side of the island, it scarcely 
reaches York for its northern demarkation, while 
on the western side it is said to have extended to 
Carlisle. It does not visit Wales, and has not 
yet been heard or seen in any part of Scotland or 
Ireland, but on the Continent it is said to extend 
as far north as Russia and Sweden. This country’ 
is visited for the purposes of incubation, and on 
