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a radius of two hundred yards, on Newbiggin Fell, at an elevation 

 of 1 140 feet. After they are paired, there is seldom anymore 

 perching at the top ; they are then very shy and recluse in their 

 habits, and seldom move far from the spot they have first selected. 

 They are not easily disturbed, and are loth to take flight, so that, 

 after pairing, it is very difficult even to see the bird at all ; they 

 trust for concealment to the surrounding herbage. The whole 

 bird is very closely feathered, presenting no point that can be 

 easily ruffled on a forward motion, so that it can glide through the 

 closest and thickest undergrowth. It slips into the cover one 

 knows not where, and threading along without stirring a twig, it 

 will in an instant slip out again at a point several yards distant. 

 Just before the bat and the owl sally forth in quest of their prey, 

 is the time to listen to this warbler ; its note falls on the ear so 

 plaintively, sometimes starting very low, increasing in loudness, 

 and gradually rising nearly a tone, then imperceptibly falling a 

 semi-tone, and appears to fade away in the distance, till it increases 

 in loudness again and gradually falls away. It has a wonderfully 

 weird effect on any listener, heard in the calm hours of the night. 

 I remember well, when staying in the neighbourhood of Silloth, 

 my bedroom window looked out on a furze-clad common, where 

 there were several Grasshopper Warblers, who sang all through the 

 night, and up till eight o'clock in the morning. I can tell you I 

 did not get much sleep,as I was noticing the peculiarities of their 

 different modes of expression and intonation. Some naturalists 

 say that it has the power of ventriloquism, but this I take exception 

 to, as on several occasions I have taken notice of this so-called 

 power, but more particularly on one occasion, down in Stainton 

 banks, I crept upon my hands and knees to within a few feet of 

 the bird, and in the twilight I could observe its bill quivering 

 whilst it was uttering its song, which was accompanied with a 

 curious shivering of the wings, and I noticed that the apparently 

 so-called ventriloquism was produced when the bird turned its 

 head in different positions ; and I must say the sound did appear 

 to come from several directions, and yet it was clearly the produc- 

 tion of the same bird. I have also observed this in the Corncrake. 



