BRITISH BIRDS. 
201 
** murs, it fliakes with rapid and violent articular 
& tions ; the foft breathings of love and joy are 
a poured from his inmoft foul, and every heart 
6t beats unifon, and melts with delicious languor. 
■ u But this continued richnefs might fatiate the ear,. 
“ The flrains are at times relieved by paufes, 
u which bellow dignity and elevation. The mild 
u filence of evening heightens the general effect, 
4C and not a rival interrupts the folemn fcene.” — . 
Thefe birds begin to build about the end of April 
Or the beginning of May ; they make their nell in 
the lower part of a thick bulh or hedge ; the fe- 
male lays four or live eggs, of a greenilh brown 
colour ; the nelt is compofed of dry grafs and 
leaves, intermixed with fmall fibres, and lined with 
hair, down, and other foft and warm fubllances. 
The bufinefs of incubation is entirely performed by 
the female, whillt the cock, at no great diftance* 
.entertains her with his delightful melody ; fo foon, 
however, as the young are hatched, he leaves off 
finging, and joins her in the care of providing for 
the young brood, Thefe birds make a fecond 
hatch, and fometimes a third ; and in hot coun- 
tries they are faid to have four. 
The Nightingale is a folitary bird, and never 
unites in flocks like many of the fmaller birds, but 
hides itfelf in the thickefl parts of the bufhes, and 
fings generally in the night : Its food confills prin- 
cipally of infe£ts, fmall worms, eggs of ants, and 
fometimes berries of various kinds. Nightingales* 
