332 BRITAIN^S BIRDS AND THEIR NESTS. 



the mimicking genus are weak birds, and those of the 

 other genus are strong. The object is thus clear, as in 

 the case of the Cuckoo and the Hawk ; but no such 

 reason is known for the mimicry between these two 

 genera of Warblers. 



From mid- April to September the Grasshopper- Warbler 

 is generally distributed in suitable localities over England, 

 Wales, and Ireland. In Scotland it is more local, and 

 decreases and becomes unknown towards the northern 

 portions. Overgrown waste lands, dry or marshy, are the 

 favourite haunts of the bird. 



The nest is usually placed among long grass or herbage, 

 or in a hedge. It is a well-built, deep cup of moss and 

 dry grass, lined with fine pieces of the latter. The five 

 to seven eggs are pinkish white in ground-colour, with 

 spots of reddish brown, often forming a zone. Two 

 broods are sometimes reared in a season. 



SAVrS WARBLER 



(Locustella luscinioides). 



Savi's Warbler has already been mentioned. It formerly 

 nested among the sedges and rushes in some of the English 

 fen districts, but drainage has driven it from these haunts. 

 'The deep, cup-shaped nest is composed of interwoven 

 sedge-blades, and may be compared with that of a 

 Crake in miniature.' The eggs are closely speckled with 

 ash brown and violet gray on a white or huffish ground. 



