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grass, and sometimes a little hair. The number of eggs is from 
five to seven, of a pale olive colour, sometimes streaked at the 
large end with one or two black lines; at times it is gregarious 
in its nesting. My friend Mr. Lancaster and I, while on a 
botanical excursion last summer, discovered eight nests of the 
Sedge Warbler within a few yards of each other. The length of 
the male is about four inches and three-quarters. The upper bill, 
broad at the base, is brownish black; the lower, pale reddish 
brown ; a pale brown streak runs from it to the eye, and a short 
way down the side of the neck. Iris, brown; over it is a broad 
yellowish white band, proceeding from the base of the bill. Head, 
on the crown brownish black, the edges of the feathers streaked 
with light brown ; neck, on the sides, yellowish brown, on the back 
and nape reddish brown, tinged with grey, the middle of each 
feather being dark brown; chin and throat, nearly white. Breast, 
brownish white, strongly tinged with yellowish brown on the sides. 
Back, above, reddish brown. Greater and lesser wing coverts, pale 
dusky reddish brown. The tail, which extends three-quarters of 
an inch beyond the closed wings, and is rather long, straight, and 
slightly rounded, is dusky brown; upper tail coverts, reddish brown; 
under tail coverts, yellowish brown. The female resembles the 
male, but is slightly larger, and the stripe on the eye is less 
distinct. 
Tue BiackcaP (Curruca atricapilla ). 
‘** The Blackcap, she builds in a bramble bush, 
And a snug little nest she makes ; 
And sweetly her mate singeth near her—hush ! 
To those musical trills and shakes ! : 
He has caught from the blackbird his rich mellow tone, 
From the skylark his melody shrill ; 
And the notes of the woodlark, the thrush, and his own, 
He varies and blends at his will.” 
This splendid songster, the sweetest of the warbler family (with 
the exception of the nightingale), arrives in this district about the 
23rd of April, and departs the latter end of September. It is of 
shy habits, frequenting groves, the borders of woods, parks, plant- 
