100 BIRDS OF EUROPE AND NORTH AFRICA 



Legs and feet pale yellowish brown. Wing (^ ^ 52-59- Tarsus 

 18-19, Bill 8-10. Young are very yellow beneath. 



An Asiatic species which breeds in N. Russia (Onega). 

 Accidental Britain, Galicia, Dalmatia. 



ACROCEPHALUS. 



ist primary small and narrow, seldom longer than coverts; 

 tail 12 feathers, slightly graduated; generally frequent damp 

 places or reed-beds ; nest a deep cup on ground or attached 

 to reeds, or in a bush near water ; eggs grey or greenish grey 

 with dark markings or blotches. 



Acrocephalus arundinaceus arundinaceus (L.). 

 Great Reed Warbler. Fr. Rousserolle ; Ger. Drosselrohr- 

 sanger ; I/aL Cannareccione. 



^ 9 Above light brown, tinged reddish, especially on rump 

 and upper tail coverts ; supercilium and feathers round eye dull 

 white ; beneath, throat and breast (faintly striated) and centre 

 of belly white, rest of underparts with axillaries and under wing 

 coverts fawn colour ; ist primary very much shorter than coverts ; 

 2nd between 3rd and 4th ; 3rd longest. ° Bill black, pale below 

 at base. Legs and feet bluish grey. Wing ^ 90-103, 9 88-94. 

 Tarsus 27-31 (W.). Bill 14-15. 



Breeds. — Continental Europe to Baltic (rare in Sweden and 

 Denmark), Baltic Provinces, Russia north to nearly 60°, east to 

 Urals, south to Caspian Sea and Caucasus ; Sicily, N.W. Africa, 

 Asia Minor. Migrates ; occurs Egypt on passage ; winters 

 tropical and S. Africa. Of occasional occurrence England ; 

 accidental Madeira. 



A. arundinaceus zarudnyi Hartert. Above less reddish, more 

 olive coloured, most noticeable on rump ; under tail coverts and 

 flanks paler fawn. 



Breeds. — Volga Delta and east into Transcaspia and Turkestan. 



A. arundinaceus orientalis (Temminck and Schlegel). 

 Plumage as in typical form, but wing formula different ; 4th 

 primary being equal to or longer than 2nd. Wing also shorter, 

 ^ 80-92, ? 77-84 (W.). 



Breeds. — S.E. Siberia and N. China. Occurred once in 

 England. 



