THE GRASSHOPPER-WARBLER 51 



than his brother warblers — a bird resembling a hedge-sparrow 

 more than a warbler. But you must be quick, for he will 

 not fly far, and if you pursue him he will dive into the stuff, 

 and you may search the marsh all over — never will you see 

 him again, for he is as alert and quick as a marsh-mouse. 



All night through flowery May you may hear these 

 "grindings" of his at intervals — the song sometimes lasting 

 for half-an-hour or longer. When the cotton-grasses are 

 ripe at the beginning of June, the pair begin their nest in 

 the soft, green moss on the marsh bottom, hidden beneath 

 the laid-rush, or in fairy forests of cotton-grass. There, 

 in dusk seclusion, the nest, resembling that of the lark, and 

 made of dried grass and roots, is placed; and so cautious is 

 the bird, that should the nest be disturbed by the curious, 

 she will desert it, although one marsh-mower once mowed 

 a nest up in his swathe, the bird starting from the marsh 

 at his feet. He replaced the swathe, never touching the 

 nest, and tried to chase the bird, and " muddle her out ; " 

 but she seemed to sink into the ground. However, he 

 returned to the nest some days afterwards and found two 

 eggs, which he took, leaving her to start anew, as she 

 does if once robbed, as does the reed-warbler. These birds 

 have runs to their nests like marsh-mice, and if you flush 

 them they will fly a little way, go down to the marsh 

 like a stone, strike one of their dark arcades, and track 

 for yards under the stuff as securely as a mouse, coming- 

 back later on, when you have in despair given up the 

 search, to their four, five, or six spotted, pinkish eggs. 

 But if you are determined to find a nest, cut a long stick, 

 and watch for a bird "grinding," for they always grind 

 near their nests ; then walk steadily towards the grinding 

 bird, beating the stuff with your stick, but looking steadily 

 some twenty yards ahead of you, and you may be rewarded 

 by finding one ; but j'our chances are small, and these 

 nests are seldom found, save by men mowing the rushes 

 for litter. You must be content to see them sitting on 



