INSESSORES. 401 



lined with feathers ; in some instances two large feathers are 

 made to meet over the opening, near the top of the nest, and 

 thus protects the inside from cold or rain : it is attached to 

 two or three upright reeds about two feet from the surface 

 of the water. The eggs, which are laid during the months of 

 August and September, are four in number, nearly eight 

 lines long and six lines broad ; they are of a fleshy-white, 

 freckled and streaked all over, particularly at the larger end, 

 with purplish red : in some instances large obscure blotches 

 of reddish grey appear as beneath the surface of the shell. 



The sexes present no difference in size or colour, and there 

 is scarcely any variation in specimens from Tasmania, Swan 

 River, and New South Wales. 



Stripe over the eye white : all the upper surface brown, the 

 centre of the feathers being dark brown ; secondaries brownish 

 black, margined with buff; tail pale reddish brown, with dark 

 brown shafts ; under surface grey, passing into black on the 

 flanks and vent ; each feather of the breast with a very minute 

 line of dark brown down the centre; bill and tarsi fleshy 

 brown. 



Total length 5 J inches ; bill f ; wing 2^ ; tail 2f ; tarsi f . 



FamHy SYLVIADiE. 

 Genus CALAMOHERPE, Meyer. 



Of this European and Indian form two species inhabit 

 Australia, where they frequent the reed-beds and the dense 

 herbage of marshy situations. 



Those who are acquainted with the habits of the Great 

 Sedge-Warbler of Europe {Calamoherpe turdoides) will have 

 a just idea of what the present and the following species 

 are like. 



'Z D 



