488 
NIGHTINGALE. 
This attachment of theirs to the same spot, was the 
origin of a contrivance to settle nightingales in places 
which they never visited : The brood are caught 
with the parent birds, and conveyed to a situation 
which resembles their former haunt : the cock and 
hen are placed in two cages near the nest of young, 
and the cages are artfully opened while the person 
remains concealed : the parents run to the cries of 
their nestlings, and foster and continue to educate 
them ; it is even said they will return to the same 
place the next year. 
For the following description of the nest of these 
little warblers, and of their careful attention to their 
young, we are indebted to the learned Count de 
Buflfon : 
“ They begin to build their nest about the end 
of April, or the opening of May. The materials 
are leaves, rushes, stalks of coarse grass ; and the in- 
side is lined with small fibres and roots, horse-hair, 
and a sort of bur. They are placed in a favourable 
aspect, turned somewhat to the east, near water, 
and commonly on the lowest branches of shrubs, as 
gooseberries, white-thorns, sloes, elm-hedges, &c. 
or in a tuft of grass, and even on the ground under 
bushes. Hence their eggs and their young, and 
sometimes the mother, are occasionally devoured 
by dogs, foxes, pole-cats, weasels, adders, &c. 
“ In our climate the female usually lays five 
eggs, of an uniform greenish brown, except that the 
brown predominates at the obtuse end and the 
green at the acute. She hatches alone, and never 
leaves her station but for food, and then only in 
