SEDGE-WARBLER. 25 



[AcROCEPHALUS PALUSTRis — Marsh Warbler.] 

 Rare summer visitor to Southern counties of England. 



[AcROCEPHALUS TURDOiDES — Great Reed-warbler. 



[Acrocephahis arioidijiaceiis — Yarrell^ 



An accidental visitor to England. 



(AcROCEPHALUS AQUATicus — Aquatic Warbler.J 



\Acrocephalns schensbcemis — Yarrell^^ 



An accidental visitor to England. 



ACROCEPHALUS PHRAGMITIS— Sedge-warbler. 

 \Acrocephalus schanobcenus — Yarrell?\ 



The sparrows chirp, and fly to fetch 

 The withered reed-down, rustling nigh, 

 And by the sunny side the ditch, 

 Prepare their dwelling warm and dry. 



Clake— iasi 0/ March. 



This bird is common throughout the county, in the valleys of 

 the Lugg, and the Arrow, and on the banks of the Wye. " The 

 song of the Sedge-warbler," says Mr. Evans, " runs on in a strain 

 of continued variety, though but of little power," and, as w^as observed 

 by White, it has the faculty of imitating the notes of other species. 



A very odd effect is at times produced by the notes being 



mixed and crowded up together, and uttered at such a rapid rate, 



that one wonders how any bird can articulate so fast, and why it is 



in such an overpowering hurry. It generally goes on singing late 



in the evening, and it has sometimes even been heard to sing in 



the night. 



By yon fair willow'd stream, 



When June, array'd in flowers, 

 Shines with her sunny gleam, 

 I spend my lonely hours, 

 Wary and shy. 

 From man's keen eye, 

 I safely hide, and sing my song unseen, 

 Close in the willow bush, beneath the tresses green. 



Evans— /So^ififs of the Birds. 



