lays four or five eggs, of a greenish brown colour. The nest is composed of dry grass and leaves, intermixed with small fibres, and lined with hair, down, and other soft and warm substances. The business of incubation is entirely performed by the female, whilst the male, at no great distance, entertains her with his delightful melody: as soon, however, as the young are hatched, he leaves off singing, and joins her in the care of providing for them. These birds make a second hatch, and sometimes a third; and in hot countries they are said to have four. The nightingale is a solitary bird, and never unites in flocks like many of the smaller birds, but hides itself in the thickest parts of the bushes, and sings generally in the night. Its food consists principally of insects, small worms, eggs of ants, and sometimes berries of various kinds. Though timorous and shy, they are easily caught; limed twigs and snares of all sorts are laid for them, and generally succeed. Young ones are sometimes brought up from the nest, and fed with great care till they are able to sing. It is with great difficulty that old birds are induced to sing after being taken; for a considerable time they refuse to eat, but by great attention to their treatment, and avoiding everything that might agitate them, they at length resume their song, and continue it during the greater part of the year." GENET. THE genet is a native of the south of France, Spain, Africa, and the southern parts of Asia. It is somewhat smaller than the civet, and a little larger than the marten: in its distinguishing characteristics it resembles the former. It is easily tamed, and as it keeps houses perfectly free from rats and mice, it is of considerable service. This beautiful species is chiefly to be found along the banks of rivers, the sides of brooks and springs. "It is of a grey colour, spotted with brown or black; the muzzle is blackish, but has white spots on each side of its extremity; on the eyebrows and cheeks are also white spots; the tail is as long as the body, and assimilated with black and white, the black rings being from nine to eleven in number, and the white ones from seven to eight. Some specimens differ in the size and number of their spots, in the bands along the shoulders and neck, and in the lines on the nape of the neck. In all, however, the pouch is reduced to a slight depression, formed by a projection of the glands, and has scarcely any visible excretion, although an odour is diffused from it, which is more faint and agreeable than that of the civet; their nails are completely retractile; and in the light the pupils of their eyes form a vertical fissure. Belou tells us that he saw genets in the houses at Constantinople as tame as cats; and that they were permitted to run everywhere about, and without doing any mischief; hence they have been called the cats of |