112 The Marsh- Warbler. 



The Marsh -Warbler is barel}' to be distinguished from the Reed- Warbler; but 

 differs in its less rnfous, more greenish-olivaceous colouring above ; the feathers 

 of the wing with more defined pale borders, the under surface more yellowish in 

 tint, the feet brownish flesh-coloured; iris hazel. As Seebohm observes: — "Some 

 English Ornithologists, who have never made the personal acquaintance of both 

 species, have almost refused to admit their distinctness. No doubt they are very 

 closely allied ; but in their song, habits, eggs, and geographical distribution, they 

 differ as much as a Blackbird differs from a Thrush." 



Although it has been assumed, rather than proved, that the nest of this 

 species is never built in reeds ; it is admitted that it is suspended in the same 

 manner amongst nettles, figwort, the greater willow-herb, meadow-sweet, or low 

 bushes, usual!}' close to the water : probably the Marsh-Warbler does prefer to 

 build in such situations, but either it is not botanist enough to know that it is 

 erring when it builds in a reed-bed, or the nest and egg which I found, but 

 foolishly trusted a youth to send me when the clutch was completed, was a very- 

 aberrant one and a superb copy of a Marsh- Warbler's production. 



Naumann (quoted by Seebohm) says: — "the nest is never placed over water — 

 not even over marshy ground. It is always built over firm ground, though this 

 is generally somewhat moist, as it cannot help being on the bank of a stream, a 

 situation often chosen. But you can always reach the nest drj-shod.* In the 

 lowlands I always found it near the large country houses, especially in the gardens 

 on the banks of the moats, which sometimes were filled with reeds, and frequentl}' 

 contained very little vegetation. The nest was sometimes close to the water, but 

 often many steps away from it, in low bushes overgrown with reeds, or in a small 

 bush overgrown with reeds, nettles and other plants. It is also said to be found 

 in the rape fields, generally in the ditches, seldom deep in the rape itself. The 

 Reed- Warbler often breeds near the Marsh-Warbler, sometimes in the same ditch ; 

 but the latter bird always builds in the herbage on the bank near the water, 

 whilst the former as constantly breeds in the reeds over the water. To this rule 

 there seems to be no exception. t The nest is generall}' from one to threi' feet 

 from the ground, ver^' seldom nearer, and, I am told on the best authority, never 

 on the ground itself." " It is no use to look for the nest in the middle of dense 

 thickets, but only on their edges, especially in isolated little bushes close to the 

 borders of ditches and moats." 



The nest of the Marsh-Warbler has been compared with that of the Grass- 



• The same statement has hceii made respecting the Sedge-Warbler, many nests of wliich I was only 

 able to obtain from a boat. — A.G.B. 



t This is certainly not correct, for I have myself taken the nest of the Reed-Warbler built on moist 

 ground near the water. — .-^.G.b. 



