36 



Some writers have made out the Fen Reedling too exclusively an inhabitant of 

 reedy places, which, after all, are not its most favourite habitat. No doubt it is 

 commonly found in such situations, and frequently suspends, or rather fastens, its 

 nest to a few contiguous reed-stems, as I have seen repeatedly ; but I have more 

 commonly observed it in tall bushes growing near the water, and sometimes placed 

 against the trunk or large branch of a willow or poplar, interlacing one or two 

 upright side shoots. When there are gardens adjoining its haunts, it very com- 

 monly selects a lilac-bush, and in such localities the nest will be rarely found 

 among the reeds. I have now a beautiful specimen before me, which is fastened 

 to a single slender stem of elder, from which, within the centre of the fabric, 

 issues a young green shoot, the extremity only of which is visible.* One, 

 described by Mr. Rennie, was situate within a tuft of lucerne, and, consequently, 

 very near the ground ; but I have seen them at a height of ten, twelve, and even 

 fifteen feet from the surface, placed amid the perpendicular shoots of willow or 

 lilac. This species is very partial to gardens in watery situations, and will usually 

 admit of a much closer approach than its congener ; but still, the glances one is 

 enabled to get at it are so momentary, and oftentimes against the light, that unless 

 our suspicions are aroused, it is seldom that an unpractised eye can tell it readily 

 from the Sedge Reedling. Its bill, however, is considerably larger, and the whole 

 plumage of a much more uniform tint, without the pale streak over the eye, so 

 conspicuous in the other species. 



The Sedge Reedling's nest is always placed near the ground, amid a thick tuft 

 of herbage, or among the shoots from a low stool of willow : it is of somewhat 

 massive construction, a great deal of material being worked up, and the cavity 

 deep, containing often as many as seven eggs, of a pale ground colour, thickly 

 besprinkled with small, confluent, greenish specks, which, at the large end, often 

 form a zone ; sometimes a few larger ash-coloured spots are observable, and, not 

 unfrequently, some blackish dashes at the large end, which may be easily washed 

 off by simply wetting them : a mode that will obliterate many of the darker mark- 

 ings upon the eggs of birds. The young of this species differ very little from 

 their parents, but have a number of dusky spots upon the breast. Interior of the 

 mouth bright orange. 



same place, with very great spirit ; which confirms an observation I have often made, that 

 night-singing birds always continue their notes longer by night than in the day-time. 



• I have subsequently seen a nest about which was wound a long piece of fishing. 

 tackle. ' This nest was situate about twelve feet from the ground, and was fastened to 

 some slender twigs of Viburnum : in construction it more resembles those specimens which 

 are built among the reeds, being otherwise chiefly composed of the seed-tops and softer 

 leaves of reeds and sedges, without any moss or cottony substance interwoven. It is, how- 

 ever, considerably less compact and neatly finished than that described in the text, and 

 contains a less quantity of material. Those in the reeds are mostly of elegant formation. 



