SYLVIIN.-E. 



85 



THE SEDGE-WARBLER. 



AcROCEPHALUS PHRAGMiTis (Bechstcin). 



The Sedge-Warbler or Sedge-bird arrives in our islands during 

 the latter half of April, and from that time it is the most abundant 

 and generally distributed member of the genus until the latter part 

 of September ; while occasionally examples have been observed late 

 in October and even in winter. It breeds throughout the mainland 

 of Great Britain, although somewhat locally in the extreme north, 

 and exceptionally in the Isle of Skye ; while it occurs in Barra, 

 Outer Hebrides ; breeds increasingly in the Orkneys ; but is not yet 

 recorded from the Shetlands. To Ireland it is a regular and widely- 

 distributed visitor in summer, and is frequently killed by striking 

 against the lighthouses. 



In Norway the Sedge-Warbler is found as far north as lat. 70° ; 

 and eastward, it can be traced across Sweden, North Russia, and 

 Siberia to lat. 67° in the valley of the Yenesei. Southward, its 

 breeding-range extends to the Altai, AVestern Turkestan, Palestine, 

 Greece, and the central part of Italy ; but in Sicily and the southern 

 part of the Mediterranean basin westward to Spain it is principally 

 known as a migrant. In the latter country I obtained examples in 

 spring and autumn, and, although not found breeding, 1 have adults 

 shot at Malaga on July 25th. Throughout the rest of Europe this 

 species is tolerably abundant in suitable situations, especially in 



