78 SEDGE-WARBLER, 



the north, although sometimes rather unaccountably local. In 

 winter it visits x\frica and Egypt, migrating as far south as Damara- 

 land and the Transvaal. 



Although partial to the banks of streams, lakes and ponds, where 

 beds of rushes and osiers abound, the Sedge-Warbler is by no means 

 restricted to such or even to less moist situations ; indeed it may 

 often be found among copses and hedge-rows far from water. The 

 nest is never suspended, like that of the Reed-Warbler, but is con- 

 cealed among the lower branches of a willow, or in the rank herbage 

 by some stream or ditch, or even in a mossy hollow in the ground. 

 Mr. A. H. Evans and I found one in the middle of a gooseberry 

 bush in a garden by Hickling Broad ; and Mr. M. Browne has 

 recorded another which was placed quite ten feet up, at the top of 

 a ' bullfinch ' hedge, in Leicestershire. The foundation of moss is 

 surmounted by grass and coarse bents, with a slight lining of horse- 

 hair and seed-tufts of plants, and occasionally feathers. The eggs, 

 5-6, are of a yellowish clay-colour, clouded or mottled with a brownish 

 shade, and often streaked and scrolled at the larger end with black hair- 

 lines (much like those of the Yellow Wagtail) : average measurements 

 •68 by '52 in. The young are hatched early in June. Aquatic in- 

 sects and their larvae, small slugs and worms, form the principal food 

 of the Sedge- Warbler; but in autumn, like its congeners, it appears to be 

 partial to elder-berries. Its babbling song is loud and merry, although 

 some of the notes are harsh (for which reason the bird is known as 

 the ' Chat ' on the Thames) ; and in the summer it sings day and night ; 

 being more often heard than seen, for it is skulking and restless. 



The adult male in spring has the lores and ear-coverts brown, 

 surmounted by a broad yellovi'ish-white streak above each eye ; 

 crown streaked with dark brown on a paler ground, forming a sort 

 of cap ; neck, back and wing-coverts reddish-brown clouded with 

 darker brown ; rump and tail-coverts tawny brown ; tail dark brown, 

 with paler edges ; wings nearly the same ; chin and throat white ; 

 breast and under parts buff: bill dark brown above, lighter below; 

 legs and feet pale brown. Length 475 in. ; wing to the end of the 

 3rd and slightly longest primary 2 -5 in. ; the bastard primary being 

 very small. The latter character serves to distinguish the Sedge- 

 Warbler from the Moustached Warbler {Liisctniola Jiielauopogoti) 

 found in the south of Europe, and very similar in general appear- 

 ance, but with a long bastard primary. The female Sedge-Wafbler 

 is less rufous on the rump, and is generally of a duller brown than 

 the male. The young are distinctly spotted with pale brown upon 

 the throat and upper part of the breast. 



