510 PERCHING BIRDS 



this species is not unconimon in most parts of England and Wales, 

 although, as already mentioned, but seldom seen ; even in the two 

 northernmost English counties it is said to be common, although rare 

 in some parts of Westmoreland ; but in Scotland it is local and more 

 or less of a straggler, reaching, however, occasionally as far north as 

 the island of Sk}e. In Ireland it is common in many districts, and 

 is, in fact, so widely spread that it can scarceh' be designated a local 

 bird ; while a specimen was taken in Eair Isle, Shetland, in 1907. 



Grasshopper-warblers may be found amid heather, furze, badly 

 kept young plantations, marsh-lands, and river banks, or briar-clad 

 fences ; the characteristic note being more often heard in the evening 

 or morning than at mid-day. The nest, which is alwajs placed on 

 the ground, amid heather, gorse, grass, or other covert, is built of 

 grass and moss, with a few leaves externally, but no lining of hair 

 or feathers. Two clutches of eggs, each usually six, but occasionally 

 five in number, are laid during the season, the first in ]\Iay or June, 

 and the second a couple of months later. Both in shape and colour 

 the eggs are very variable ; generalh' they have a pinkish ground 

 dotted with reddish -brown spots of variable size, and also showing 

 underlying grey markings of similar shape. 



A specimen of Cetti's warbler {Ccttia cettit), of south Europe and 

 Africa, was shot in Sussex in May 1904. The species belongs to a 

 genus in which there are only ten tail-feathers. 



c^ •> txr u, As a Ikitish species Savi's warbler is as extinct as 

 Savis Warbler , , , r . • r • 



,. .. tlie bustard, and therefore a very brief notice will 



, • J , suffice. Whereas, however, the bustard was hunted 

 luscinoides). . ., . 



down, Savis warbler disappeared from luigland when 



the fens (its chief liritish resort) were drained, and thus became 

 exterminated by the same cause as the great copper - buttcrfi)-. 

 Curiously enough, it was only recognised as a Ikitish species shortly 

 before its extermination in this country. W^ickcn and l^urwcll I'^ens 

 in Cambridgeshire were regular resorts of Savi's warbler, as was also 

 Whittlesea Mere ; but nests and eggs have also been taken in Devon- 

 shire, Essex, Kent, and Norfolk ; one found in the latter county in 

 1856 being the last recorded instance of the species breeding in Great 

 Britain. In consequence of the disappearance of the species so 

 shortly after the recognition of its right to appear in the British list, 

 there are but few English specimens of Savi's warbler in collections ; 

 and we believe the single luiglish Qgg in the British Museum is 

 damaged. 



