652 PRACTICAL ORNITHOLOGY. 



where reeds and equiseta grow. Departs toward the close 

 of September. 

 36. Reed Warbler. Calamoherpearundinacea. A summer visitor. 

 Arrives about the end of April ; rarely sings before May ; 

 departs about the autumnal equinox. Not so plentiful as 

 the Sedge Warbler ; aftects the more densely covered wil- 

 low and osier holts, and seldom leaves the thick and tan- 

 gled covers, or tall aquatic plants. Fixes its nest to three 

 or four reed-stalks. Mimics the song of other small birds. 



87. Nightingale. Philomela Luscinia. A summer visitor. Com- 

 mon, but not abundant. Arrives toward the end of April. 

 Found in most of our retired woods ; also affects beds of 

 osiers or willows. Found close to Leicester, immediately 

 below the Castle, in a bed of willows, also in the young 

 plantations of oak on the grounds of the Abbey. 



88. Blackcap Warbler. Syhia Atricapilla. A summer visitor, 

 coming towards the close of April, and withdrawing in 

 September or October. Plentiful in young plantations, 

 where it hides amid the thickened upper foliage. Nestles 

 in low bushes. A delightful songster. 



89. Garden Warbler. Sylvia hortensis. A summer visitor, 

 arriving towards the end of April, and departing in Sep- 

 tember. Plentiful, pretty generally diftused, haunting 

 plantations and gardens, where it nestles ; sometimes 

 builds among pea-sticks, or fixes its nest to twigs of rasps, 

 when they are tied up. 



40. Whitethroat. Sylvia cinerea. A summer visitor, arriv- 

 ing about the middle of April, and departing immediately 

 after the autumnal equinox. Abundant, and generally 

 distributed, haunting all our hedge-rows. When the breed- 

 ing season is over, frequents kitchen-gardens, to feed on 

 gooseberries and currants. 



41. Lesser Whitethroat. Sylvia garrula. A summer visitor, 

 arriving about the beginning of May, and departing silently 

 in September. Not uncommon. Affects gardens and 

 shrubberies ; nestles in hedges, and amongst gooseberry and 

 rasp bushes. After the breeding season, feeds in concert 



