156 BIRDS OF INDIA. 



The lesser Reed-warbler is found in bushy and grassy ground on 

 the Neilgherries and West Coast, also more rarely in the Car- 

 natic, in Central India, and in Bengal, to Nepal and Assam. 

 Blyth says that it is not met with in the wilder marshy 

 district about Calcutta, but chiefly in gardens. It is migra- 

 tory in the plains, but breeds in some parts of the Himalayas. 

 Hutton found the nest, which was a round ball of dry grasses ; 

 the eggs three in number, pearl-white, with minute scattered 

 specks of rufous, chiefly at the larger end. Its note, he states, is 

 "a sharp titick titick, resembling the sound made by a flint and 

 steel." He further states that many leave the hills in May without 

 breeding, so they probably go still further north. 



517. Acrocephalus agricolus, Jerdon. 



Sylvia, apud Jerdon, 2nd Suppl. Cat. 124 bis — Blyth, Cat. 

 1081 — HoRSF., Cat. 518 — Terra kumjoa jitta, Tel. 



The Paddy Field Warbler. 



Descr. — Above pale rufous brown, brightest on the rump ; 

 wings brown, edged with rufous ; tail dull brown ; beneath whitish 

 tinned with fulvous, and brownish on the flanks. 



Bill brown, paler beneath ; legs brown ; irides'yellow brown. 

 Length 5^ inches ; wing 2^ ; tail 2^ ; bill at front y*,j ; tarsus y%. 



This Warbler is a good deal smaller than the last, with a consi- 

 derably smaller bill, and a more rufous tone of coloring. It is also 

 very like A. salicmia of Europe, but differs in having the same 

 proj)ortion of primaries as A. hrunnescens. 



1 first found this species in growing paddy fields in Nellore in 

 the cold weather, and in reedy ground near tanks in Central India. 

 It is also found in the vicinity of Calcutta, and in various parts of 

 India to Nepal and Affghanistan. Like the others it feeds entirely 

 on insects. It is migratory in India, going north to breed. 



Mr. Blyth remarks that these Indian species of Reed-warblers 

 tend to approximate Phylloscopus, in the form of wing, and 

 are less aquatic in their habits than their European congeners. 



Gen. Arundinax, Blyth. 

 Bill wide at the base, not much compressed, of moderate length ; 

 tip well deflected, and very slightly notched ; wings rather short, 



