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H. Hampe—Nightingales



NIGHTINGALES


WITH PHOTOGRAPHS BY THE AUTHOR

By H. Hampe, Brunswick


Although Nightingales have become very scarce or have quite

disappeared in most manufacturing districts, they are still as plentiful

as. ever where their food and living conditions are favourable. In

this district they are found in fair numbers in the big public gardens and

especially in cemeteries. They are not at all shy and will allow them¬

selves to be approached without ceasing their song. I was, therefore,

able without much trouble to take several photographs of one while

sitting and when feeding her young ; her nest was on a tombstone

about 2 feet above the ground. The nests are usually found in the

fork of a thick bush at about this heighjt, rarely on the ground.

Unfortunately most nests are destroyed although well hidden, chiefly

by wandering or stray cats, less often by dogs, rats, or other predatory

creatures. A good many are done away with when the parks are

being tidied up. Out of five nests which I found one spring, four were

destroyed, and this was certainly no exceptional proportion.


Once the young leave the nest, which they normally do about

the eleventh day after hatching and earlier if they are disturbed,

they are not so much exposed to danger, for they separate and each

one finds a hiding place, even before they can fly, which is usually

several days after they have left the nest, and if an enemy does discover

one it does not destroy the whole brood.


I have hand-reared several Nightingales from nests which had

been robbed. It is not a difficult task, given fresh ants’ eggs and meal¬

worms, and they very quickly learnt to feed themselves, and became

extremely tame ; they would perch on my hand, could be picked up

without alarming them, and did not disturb themselves when their

aviary was entered, indeed, one was unfortunately trodden on and

killed by standing behind me as I stepped down off a ladder. I could

carry them about the garden without their attempting to escape.

A mealworm would always entice them back to their flights or cages.

They were very quarrelsome with allied species and near relations,

especially Robins, so much so that they had to be kept apart. They



