THE NIGHTINGALE. 
55 
and motives of self-preservation produced at once what all 
the pleadings of humanity could not effect. 
When fat, they are in considerable esteem for the table, 
and probably not inferior to the Turdi of the ancients, 
which they bestowed so much pains on in feeding and fat- 
tening. The young birds are frequently and easily raised, 
bear the confinement of the cage, feed on bread, fruits, &c., 
sing well, readily learn to imitate parts of tunes, and are 
very pleasant and cheerful domestics. In these I have 
always observed (says Wilson) that the orange on the breast 
is of a much deeper tint, often a dark mahogany or chestnut 
colour owing, no doubt, to their food and confinement. 
THE NIGHTINGALE. {Sylvia luscinia .) 
All the birds we have hitherto described are American. 
We now come to a bird of the Old World, celebrated by the 
poets of all ages. It is thus described by an English 
writer : — 
The Nightingale has little to boast, if we consider its 
plumage, which is of a pale tawny colour on the head and 
back, dashed with a little shade of olive ; the breast and 
upper part of the belly incline to a grayish tint, and the 
lower part of the belly is almost white ; the exterior web 
