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observation has gone. When the young are hatched, if you 
approach too near its nest, it becomes very fussy and uneasy, 
calling in a plaintive querulous manner; although I remember 
when a boy taking a female off the nest even when she was hatch- 
ing, and putting her on again, without her appearing the least 
disturbed. 
The Willow Wren builds in May a domed nest, composed of 
dry grass, and lined with feathers. It lays seven white eggs, 
spotted with red,—although I have seen some very curious 
varieties. The situation of the nest varies: sometimes on the 
ground, sometimes on hedge banks; once I found one in a bush, 
and another in an old tin pan at the bottom of a hedge. The 
length of the male bird is about five inches. Bill, dusky brown, 
the under mandible pale yellowish brown at the base, its edges 
dusky orange ; those of the upper one paler; over it is a light- 
coloured yellow streak, fading off backwards into white ; under the 
eye is also an obscure yellow streak,—-the yellow colour fades with 
the advance of summer. Head, on the sides, pale olive colour, or 
greenish grey, with a tinge of yellow; on the crown, back of the 
neck, and nape, dull olive green; the neck on the sides is pale 
olivaceous ; chin and throat greyish white, streaked with yellow; 
breast silvery white, with a strong tinge of yellow, which fades 
towards the autumn ; back dull pale olive green, fading into greyish 
later in the summer; and the greater and lesser wing coverts 
greyish brown. The tail is of a greyish brown colour, the feathers 
edged extensively with a yellowish green, though underneath it is 
greyish brown; upper tail coverts dull olive green, under tail 
coverts whitish, strongly tinged with yellow. The female is a little 
larger than the male, and her colours not so bright ; length, a little 
over five inches, 
SEDGE WARBLER (Sadicaria phragmitis ). 
The next visitor claiming our attention is the Sedge Warbler 
(Salicaria phragmitis). It visits us about the 26th of April, and 
leaves about the first week in October, staying rather later than the 
