Perching Birds. 



6=; 



The Grasshopper-Warbler. 



is bej'ond doubt, the nests and 

 eggs having been taken on several 

 occasions. The Marsh-Warbler has 

 almost identically the same breed- 

 ing-range as the Reed-Warbler, 

 and winters in Africa, going, how- 

 ever, much further to the south 

 than A . strcpenis, and occurring in 

 South-eastern Africa. It is said to 

 have a far superior song to that of 

 the Reed -Warbler, and to frequent 

 trees and bushes, rather than the 

 river-side or the marshes. The 

 nest is placed in bushes, often far 

 away from water, and the eggs are 

 white with greenish brown spots 

 and blotches, with some purplish 

 black spots always in evidence, 

 while the underlying spots of pur- 

 plish or violet-grey are always strongly indicated. 



This dull-coloured little Warbler is a summer visitor to 

 THE GRASSHOPPER- q^^^^ Britain, but is one of the most difficult to observe, as 

 WARBLER. ... , ,, , , . 



,, . it IS an inveterate skulker, and even when its presence is 



{Locustt'lia ni£via.) 



betraj'ed by its note, the latter is so ventriloquial 



that the finding of the nest is not an easy problem to solve. The Grasshopper- 

 Warbler is to be distinguished by its olive-brown upper surface, striped with 

 blackish, and by its very graduated tail, in which the outer tail-feathers are ver\' 

 much shorter than the centre ones, while the under tail-coverts are exceptionall}- 

 long, buff}' white in colour, with dark centres. Its nest is always dilficult 

 to find and is generally placed on or close to the ground, as a rule closely 

 concealed and approached by a ' run ' or narrow passage like that of a 

 mouse. Its song is unmistakable when once heard, and is like a long- 

 continued note of a grasshopper, but is of course much more powerful, and 

 has a curious ventriloquial effect, seeming to come from one point of the 

 compass after another. The eggs are from four to seven in number, and 

 are easily recognisable, as their general tone is pinkish, sprinkled all over with 

 reddish-brown and grey dots. 



This species used to nest regular!)- in the fen districts of 

 England, but has not been known to do so for many years 

 past. It is of the same shape as the Grasshopper- 

 Warbler, but is not spotted on the back, which is uniform like that of the Reed- 



SAVrS WARBLER. 

 (Locnstella hiscinioides.) 



