naturalist’s calendar. 
477 
may be found occasionally in lakes and still waters, but it is far from common. 
This shell is about one-third of an inch broad, and is of a flat form, of a blush 
white colour, and nearly smooth. A more common one is found in most streams 
and brooks, the Cyclas pusilla; (6) this shell is about one-eighth of an inch in 
diameter, of a brownish or bluish horn colour. The Cyclas lacustris bears some 
resemblance to the C. calyculata, but is thicker, and of a dark grey colour; it is 
found in similar situations to the calyculata, and is nearly as rare. 
Birds. —The common wagtail, in general, seeks a quiet cottage or other reti 
red place in which to build, and shuns all noise. But some years ago, a pair of 
these birds built their nest between the roofing of Mr. Becknell’s school-room , 
at Tooting, in Surrey. On one side of the building there was a pond partitioned 
off from the play-ground, and thither the birds frequently resorted, quite re¬ 
gardless of the gambols and shouts of the boys at play. In this situation, no 
doubt, they would have remained, had not one of the boys, by means of a lad¬ 
der and a net, entrapped the old birds whilst flying out between the tiles.— 
Field, Nat. Mag. 
The Nightingale. —A contributor to the Field Naturalist Magazine says, 
“ The Nightingale has no note of its own, except the first short whistle in com¬ 
mencing its rich and varied song, and the succeeding—jug, jug—as if to pre¬ 
pare itself for its elaborate and rich song. It is then distinctly and literally, a 
mocking bird , and pours out in richer, louder, and more mellow tones, the notes 
of other singing birds, including those of the thrush, blackbird, yellow hammer, 
lark, red-breast, wren, &c. until it is tired. The Nightingale never sings without 
resting its breast upon a twig while it sings, as if to assist it in exerting all its 
powers; and for this reason, it always lays a twig across its nest, thus teaching 
its young to resort to the same assistance in their future song. 
The Cuckoo. —No doubt the Cuckoo comes to England solely to breed, be- 
