The cares of incubation are undertaken by both parents. The young are at first clad in a speckled plumage, but resemble the adult birds before the end of the first autumn. Most of the members of this delightful group are eminently suited for life in a cage, and become attached to those who rear them. [Illustration: THE NIGHTINGALE (_Luscinia Philomela_).] * * * * * The NIGHTINGALES (_Luscinia_) are recognisable by their slender body, strong legs, high tarsi, moderately long wings and tail, the latter of which is rounded at the extremity. The beak is almost straight, and pointed at its tip; the close thick plumage in both sexes is of a reddish grey. THE NIGHTINGALE. The NIGHTINGALE (_Luscinia Philomela_)--see Coloured Plate XVIII.--as the species so familiar to us all is called, is reddish grey upon the upper part of the body, the top of the head and the back being of a deeper shade; the under side is light yellowish grey, palest on the throat and near the centre of the breast; the inner webs of the quills are dark brown, and the tail-feathers brownish red. The eye is also brownish red, and the beak and feet reddish grey. In the young birds some of the feathers on the back have light yellow spots on the shafts, and are edged with pale black, thus giving the plumage a speckled appearance. The length of this bird is six inches and a half, and its breadth nine inches and two-thirds; the wing measures three and the tail two inches and three-quarters. The female is slightly smaller than her mate.