THE SEDGE WAKBLEK. 77 



begins its song with " Chit-chit, chiddy-chiddy-chiddy, 

 chit-chit-chit." 



Selby, in his " Eeport on the Ornithology of Berwick- 

 shire," in 1841, mentions this species as one of those which 

 at that time did not abound to the extent it formerly used 

 to do, and says he is inclined to attribute the diminution of 

 its numbers " to the effect of an improved system of agricul- 

 ture, which by draining and reclaiming the marshy spots 

 and little tangled thickets of sallow, and other rough and 

 rampant herbage that used to be so common in our fields, 

 has destroyed its favourite and appropriate breeding-places."^ 

 Its occurrence in Dowlaw Dean and Lumsden Dean is noted 

 by Mr. Hardy as early as the 20th of June 1843." 



It was frequently heard singing in the thick hedges by 

 the side of the Tweed at Paxton in the summers of 1873 and 

 1874 ;^ and Dr. Stuart of Chirnside records that its note was 

 recognised in Gordon Bog on the 30th of June 1879.'' Mr. 

 Hardy gives the following localities as some of its usual 

 haunts : — In willow thickets at Penmanshiel and Dowlaw ; 

 mosses on Coldingham Moor ; Cockburnspath Tower Dean ; 

 and the Pease Mill;^ willow scrubs at Eedheugh ; Lumsden 

 Moss ; and Oldcambus.^ It was noticed by Miss Georgina 

 Milne-Home at the side of the Tweed at Milne Graden, in the 

 summer of 1886 ; and in June of the same year I observed it 

 at Coldingham Loch, and at Mertoun. Mr. John Ferguson, 

 Duns, informs me that several Sedge Warblers frequented 

 the beds of reeds and willows at the upper end of the Lake 

 at Duns Castle, in the summer of 1887, where they were 

 heard singing every evening. 



The food of this bird consists of various kinds of aquatic 

 insects and small worms. 



1 Hist. Ber. Nat. Chib, vol. i. p. 252. 2 Mr. Hardy's MS. Notes. 



3 Hist. Ber. Nat. Club, vol. vii. p. 382. ^ Ibid. vol. ix. p. 229. 



5 Jbid. vol. ix. p. 560. *• Jbid. vol. x. p. 559. 



