MARSH WARBLER. 115 



Family TURDID.^. Genus Acrocepiialus. 



Sub-family SYLVlINAi. 



MARSH WARBLER. 



ACROCEPHALUS PALUSTRIS {Bec/lSfciu). 



Single Brooded. Laying season, June. 



British breeding area : The Marsh Warbler is 

 undoubtedly the most local of all the Warblers that 

 visit our islands to breed. It is a rare and local visitor 

 to Somersetshire, more especially to the vicinity of Bath 

 and Taunton. As its nest, however, has been taken in 

 Cambridgeshire, and the bird itself obtained in Glouces- 

 tershire, it is only reasonable to presume that further 

 research will lead to an important extension of its area 

 in our islands. There can be no doubt that the present 

 species has been and continues to be confused with the 

 nearly allied Reed Warbler. Fortunately, however, the 

 eggs of the two species cannot be confused. 



Breeding habits : The Marsh Warbler is another 

 late bird of passage, not arriving in our islands before 

 May. But little of its habits in this country has been 

 observed. Its haunts are swamps and osier beds, where 

 plenty of brushwood and rank undergrowth occur. In 

 this respect it more closely resembles the Sedge War- 

 bler than its much nearer ally the Reed Warbler. It 

 also appears partial to the swampy sides of hedges, 

 where a rank and luxuriant vegetation flourishes. It is 

 not a bird of the reeds, always preferring swampy 

 ground to water. The bird appears to pair shortly 

 after its arrival, but nest-building does not commence 

 usually for several weeks after that event. The nest is 

 generally placed (in this country) amongst rank vegeta- 

 tion, not far from the ground. Cne of the two nests of 



