86 SEDGE-WARBLER. 



the north, although sometimes unaccountably local. In winter it 

 migrates as far as South Africa. 



While partial to the banks of streams, lakes and ponds, where 

 rushes and osiers abound, the Sedge-Warbler is by. no means 

 restricted to such, or even to moist situations ; indeed it may often 

 be found among copses and hedge-rows far from water. The 

 nest is never suspended, like that of the Reed-Warbler, but is 

 concealed among the lower branches of a shrub, or in the rank 

 herbage by some stream or ditch, or even in a mossy hollow in the 

 ground. Mr. A. H. Evans and I found one in the middle of a 

 gooseberry bush in a garden by Hickling Broad ; and Mr. M. 

 Browne has recorded another which was placed quite ten feet up, at 

 the top of a ' bullfinch ' hedge, in Leicestershire. The foundation 

 of moss is surmounted by grass and coarse bents, with a slight 

 lining of horse-hair and seed-tufts of plants, and occasionally 

 feathers. The 5-6 eggs are of a yellowish clay-colour, clouded or 

 mottled with a brownish-shade, and often streaked and scrolled at 

 the larger end with black hair-lines (much like those of the Yellow 

 Wagtail) : measurements "68 by "52 in. The young are hatched 

 early in June. Aquatic insects and their larvae, small slugs and 

 worms, form the principal food of the Sedge-^^'arbler ; but in 

 autumn, like its congeners, it appears to be partial to elder-berries. 

 Its babbling notes, cheep, cheep, chissock cheep, are loud and merry, 

 though somewhat harsh (for which reason the bird is known as the 

 ' Chat ' on the Thames) ; while in the summer it sings day and night, 

 being more often heard than seen ; it is also a great imitator. 



The adult male in spring has the lores and ear-coverts brown, 

 surmounted by a broad yellowish-white streak above each eye ; 

 crown streaked with dark brown on a paler ground, forming a sort 

 of cap ; neck, back and wing-coverts reddish-brown clouded with 

 darker brown ; rump and tail-coverts tawny brown ; tail dark brown, 

 with paler edges ; wings nearly the same ; chin and throat white ; 

 breast and under parts buff ; bill dark brown above, lighter below ; 

 legs and feet pale brown. Length 5 in. ; wing to the end of the 3rd 

 and slightly longest primary 2-5 in. ; the bastard primary being very 

 small. The latter character serves to distinguish the Sedge-^^'arbler 

 from the Moustached ^^'arbler {A. melaiiopogott), which is found in 

 the south of Europe, and is similar in general appearance, but has a 

 long bastard primary. The female Sedge-^^'arble^ is less rufous on 

 the rump, and is generally of a duller brown than the male. The 

 young are distinctly spotted with pale brown upon the throat and 

 upper part of the breast. 



