8o REED-WARBLER. 



summer limits of the Reed-Warbler in Europe ; but below this line 

 the bird has been found breeding in suitable localities down to the 

 extreme south of Spain and Italy, and perhaps in Algeria. Large 

 numbers pass the winter in the basin of the Mediterranean, whilst 

 others go down to Central Africa. Eastward, it is found as far as 

 the countries between Baluchistan and South-western Siberia. 



In the breeding-season the Reed-Warbler is by no means re- 

 stricted to reeds, or even to the immediate proximity of water ; and 

 Mr. R. H. Mitford has given an account of the nesting of several 

 pairs annually in lilac-trees in his garden at Hampstead. On the 

 Thames and elsewhere the slender branches of willows and alders 

 are frequently selected ; the nest being often ten feet above the 

 ground or water, and sometimes at a far greater elevation. Excep- 

 tionally nests have been found in hedges fringing a river. Where 

 reeds are abundant, as in the Eastern Counties, they are usually 

 preferred ; and in every case the nest is supported by from two to 

 four reeds or twigs, as the case may be, woven into the sides of the 

 nest, which is so deep that the eggs will not roll out in the strongest 

 wind. Begun when the reeds are quite short, the nest is often a 

 full yard above the water by the time that the young birds are 

 hatched. The materials employed are dry grasses and moss, with a 

 little sheep's-wool, feathers, and horsehair for a lining, but occasion- 

 ally there is so much wool or flowering grass that the nest seems 

 to be made of them. The 4-5 eggs are greenish-white, clouded, 

 blotched or freckled with dark olive, ash-colour, and black : average 

 measurements 72 by -53 in. The Cuckoo is partial to the nest of 

 this Warbler, and I have more than once found two eggs of that 

 parasitical bird in the same nursery. Incubation begins about May 

 22nd. During the summer the varied song of the Reed Warbler 

 may be heard at intervals during the day, except in windy weather ; 

 but it is loudest and most attractive during the long twilight of 

 evening. The food consists of aquatic insects — especially small 

 dragon-flies — -and their larvs, spiders, slugs and worms, varied in 

 the season by fruit and berries. 



The adult male has a pale buff streak over each eye ; upper parts 

 brown, tinged with chestnut, especially on the rump ; under parts 

 white, turning to buff on the sides, thighs, and under tail-coverts. 

 In autumn the chestnut and buff are more pronounced. Bill horn- 

 brown above, yellowish-brown below ; legs and feet purplish-brown. 

 Length 5-25 in. ; wing to end of 3rd and longest quill 2-5 in. The 

 female, according to my experience, is decidedly less rufous during 

 the breeding-season. The young are very tawny underneath. 



