BIRDS OF THE MARSH AND LAKE 415 



ceived recoo-nition from the chief authorities. Of 

 the five, two are distinctly rare. The Great Reed 

 Warbler, the largest of the race, has only two or 

 three well-authenticated occurrences to its credit : 

 certain freshly killed specimens, examined by 

 capable naturalists, being believed to have been 

 imported from Rotterdam. The bird in question is 

 nearly eight inches in length, and is of a lightish- 

 brown hue with the breast and under surface a 

 dingy white. It is well known in many parts of 

 Europe, especially in Belgium and Holland. 



The Aquatic Warbler, too, is a bird of two or 

 three occurrences only. It is about four and a half 

 inches in length and bears a general resemblance 

 to the common Sedge Warbler, with which it has 

 sometimes been confounded. Its distribution on 

 the European continent is restricted and it would 

 nowhere appear to be a common species. 



Another reed-loving bird is Savi's Warbler, a 

 species first claimed to be distinct by the Italian 

 naturalist whose name it bears. It is about five and 

 a half inches long, the upper surface of the body 

 is of a reddish-brown hue, the tail marked with 

 faint dark bands and the under surface pale reddish- 

 brown, except the chin, which is white. A few 

 examples of this warbler have been obtained in this 

 country, chiefly in the Een districts, but there is 

 reason for believing that it was once a regular, 

 although always an uncommon visitor. With the 

 draining of certain of its haunts, it would seem to 

 have been driven altogether away, for no note of its 

 occurrence, so far as I am aware, later than 1849, is 

 recorded. 



