72 THE BIRDS OF SHERWOOD FOREST. 
in some parts of the forest, heard its stridulous note so 
constantly, and, in addition, have obtained the bird 
itself, that I am perfectly satisfied it is not by any 
means rare; and yet I have never been successful 
enough to discover the nest. Many times have I 
watched the birds with the utmost caution in the hope 
of tracing the female in her approaches to her eggs, but 
the habit of forming a covered passage has increased the 
difficulty, and I have always been disappointed in my 
endeavours. They generally arrive about the latter end 
of April—but I have known a specimen obtained on the 
13th of that month—and leave us again at the beginning 
of September. 
Amongst the common birds, the Sedge Warbler (S. 
Phragmitis) is conspicuous, and its fearless and gar- 
rulous habits render it very amusing. That which 
would frighten away another bird only has the effect of 
exciting it to louder outbreaks of noisy mirth, sometimes 
uttered as though in defiance of all comers. It chiefly 
frequents the neighbourhood of our various small streams, 
though I have known its nest placed at some distance 
from water. The bottom of a hedge bordering a stream 
is a favourite position, where the long grass and weeds 
have formed a friendly screen. I have seen a nest in a 
very different place—viz., on the head of a pollard 
willow, several large tufts of grass which had there 
taken root in the partially decayed wood, effectually 
concealing it from the observation of any one on the 
ground ; and I, perchance, should not have discovered it 
had I not one day, when fishing, climbed the tree to free 
my artificial flies from a bough in which they had 
hooked. 
The song of the sedge warbler is a kind of medley, 
