THE NIGHTINGALE. 
who insists on living in a cage patched about and falling to 
pieces with old age, and for no other reason than this — he had 
occupied it for thirteen years, had got used to it ; he nearly 
pined to death because he was shifted to a cage befitting a bird 
of his ability. 
In purchasing a nightingale, the greatest care and caution is 
requisite. It may happen that the dealer will press on you at 
a cheap rate a bird about whose capacity there can be no 
doubt. There he hangs, before your eyes, making the place 
echo with his music ; but for all that, don’t buy him, at least 
for the present. Call again* in three or four days, and then, if 
the nightingale seems as sprightly as when you last saw it, you 
may venture to purchase. This caution is necessary, because 
it sometimes happens that newly-caught birds will, instead of 
pining, take to singing so fiercely and continuous, as in a short 
time to kill themselves. This is a curious fact, and would 
seem to disprove the assertion that birds sing only when they 
are pleased. I should like those who hold this belief to observe 
a nightingale while singing himself to death. Pleasure ! it is 
plainly enough a passionate remonstrance at your cruelty, an 
imploring appeal for liberty, the mere ravings of the miserable 
little captive, mad with despair. Take my advice, boys, if you 
ever happen to have a bird brought to this pass, open the cage 
door and let it fly. If you do not, and the bird dies, it is likely 
you may feel a little uncomfortable. « 
Prom the similarity of the redstart to the nightingale, it is 
often sold as such by the dishonest bird- dealer. There is, 
however, this difference between the two birds. The hen red- 
start is much smaller than the nightingale, and its tail is fighter, 
longer, and more slender. Moreover, the nightingale is much 
more graceful in its movements than the redstart. It carries 
its head erect, and walks with dignity and deliberation. There 
is another feature worth noticing in the nightingale. When 
any object takes his attention, he puts his head on one side, as 
does the robin, and seems to look at the object with but one 
eye. To discover whether a nightingale is young or old, examine 
well his wings and tail. If you discover a few — even one or 
two — yellowish feathers, you may conclude that the bird is 
young. This is important, because the younger the bird, the 
more docile and tractable he will be. 
It is by no means easy to distinguish the male from the 
female nightingale. The chief difference, however, is, that the 
legs of the hen are shorter than those of her husband, her 
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