366 SYLVIID^. 



knowledge freshly-killed examples of this species are often 

 sent from Rotterdam, that there is accordingly reason to 

 think that it may not have been obtained in this country so 

 often as has been supposed.* 



Mr. Hancock, in the communication already in part cited, 

 goes on to say that he had little doubt the bird shot in 

 Durham (which, it may be remarked, is perhaps the most 

 northern locality ever recorded for the species) was breeding 

 in the neighbourhood, and mentions his having received 

 from Northamptonshire, nearly two years before, an egg un- 

 questionably belonging to the Reed-Thrush. This egg, he has 

 since informed the Editor, came from a collection formed by 

 the late Mr. Wheelwright, but it was unaccompanied by any 

 positive information as to where it was taken. Eggs from 

 the same source are in the collection of Mr. Bond, who has 

 also stated that he has some others, believed to have been 

 taken in Hertfordshire. In the last Edition, too, of this 

 work, mention was made of a nest belonging to Mr. Butter- 

 field, and said to have been found near Dorking. Those 

 who have formed an acquaintance with this bird in its haunts 

 will not readily credit the supposition that it can breed in 

 this country or often visit us unnoticed, and the fact is 

 remarkable that in none of the cases cited do the finders of 

 these reputed nests seem to have been struck by the bird's 

 loud song and harsh cries of alarm. 



In habits the present species almost exactly resembles its 

 commoner congener next to be described. Both frequent 

 much the same kind of locality, and their nests, except in 

 size, are almost exactly similar. The eggs of the Great 

 Reed- Warbler are four or five in number, measuring from 

 •94 to -84 by from -65 to "61 in., and are usually of a very 

 pale greenish-blue, blotched and speckled with ash-grey, 

 reddish-brown and very dark olive : sometimes the whole 

 ground-colour has an olive tint. 



* In the ' Naturalist' for August, 1838 (iii. p. 419), Mr. Bl.vtli states tliat a 

 season or two previously Mr. Bartlett obtained in the London market a recent 

 specimen of this species, which fact possibly indicates that the practice of im- 

 porting fre.sh examples from abroad has not been confined to the last few years. 



