128 
NIGHTINGALE. 
the first arrival of the males, which occurs some 
days before that of the females, (similar to what 
takes place with most of our migratory birds,) 
the song is commenced immediately, and for this 
short period they are in great request by the 
London bird catchers, for if taken after a mate 
has been gained, their melody is not continued in 
confinement. It frequents the lower coppices, 
rather than the grown or aged woods, plantations, 
or countries thickly interspersed with lanes and 
hedges, and, according to Mr Yarrell, * the 
grounds of the market gardeners, near London, 
are favourite haunts with this bird, where, un- 
doubtedly they find an ample supply of suitable 
food. When disturbed in these retreats, the call 
or alarm note is even less pleasing than that of 
our other summer warblers, being a kind of 
guttural croak, or “jug,” as it is termed, fre- 
quently and quickly repeated. The nest is 
formed upon the ground, and is rather carelessly 
built of dried grasses and slender roots. The eggs 
are of an uniform olive-brown colour, without 
spots, which is somewhat at variance with the tints 
and markings generally seen in those of Curruea. 
Of very plain and unobtrusive colours. The 
male has the upper parts of the plumage yellow- 
ish-brown, tinged with reddish on the crown ; the 
quills are of a darker tint ; the outer webs, the 
whole tail and rump, are pale reddish chestnut- 
brown ; the throat, breast, and flanks, grayish 
white, shading to nearly purely white on the 
* Yarrell, i. p. 2/6. 
