90 Pictures of Bird Life 



The Reed-warbler I liave not yet identified with certainty ; 

 it is not unhkely that it may liave oceurred once or 

 twice, as I liave been told, on the Lea, and I am almost 

 snre I saw one in a small patch of reeds one day early 

 in JMay. 



The Sedge-warbler is exceedingly abnndant. The name 

 of this bird is. however, I think, very misleading. It is 

 not })articularly fond of sedge, nor is it at all restricted to 

 marshy places. Any thick hedge and rough, prickly bank 

 will afford it a suitable home, and it is rather partial to 

 railway embankments. It is certainly very fond of osier- 

 beds and marshes, but in the latter it occurs in the drier 

 parts. In either of them its characteristically loud song may 

 be heard all day and Avell into the night. 



It is perfectly surprising to see with what frequency 

 and regularity the young of these insect-eating birds are 

 supplied with food by their parents. Xo sooner lias the 

 mother-bird distributed a fat grub or luscious, juicy cater- 

 pillar to each of her four or five young ones than she is 

 back again with a fresh supply, in what always seems to 

 me an incredibly short space of time. Their prying eyes 

 and nimble actions search out so tlioroughly every leaf and 

 stem that it seems wonderful that any insects at all escape. 

 AVhat their numbers would be without this check upon 

 their increase is impossible to estimate. 



On one or two occasions the curious reeling note of 

 the Grasshopper-warbler has been noticed in spring, probably 

 from birds freshly arrived and simply passing through, for 



