542 BRITISH BIRDS. 
always easy to judge of the distance; but as much may be said of all 
sounds. 1 doubt if it varies much in the loudness of its note, which 
sounds distant when the bird buries itself in the deep grass or other 
foliage, and near when it runs up some stalk and takes a look round, as it 
frequently does in early morning. 
It is certainly one of the most skulking birds which visit this country, 
almost as much so as a Corncrake or a Water-Rail. It is rarely seen on 
the wing, and seldom perches on a tree. I have followed it for hours 
backwards and forwards from one clump of underwood to another, rarely 
obtaining a sight of the bird, but always able to trace its whereabouts 
from its song. Very often it left the underwood altogether and frequented 
the long grass, and it was only occasionally that it was possible to see 
the bird. So retiring is the Grasshopper Warbler in its habits, that were 
it not for the peculiarity of its song it would be passed by without notice 
by the great majority of naturalists. The song is first heard im Yorkshire 
early in May; but in the south of England the bird arrives somewhat 
earlier at its breeding-quarters. Gilbert White gives the date as the 
middle of April. It is consequently, if not the latest bird of passage to 
arrive on our shores, one of the last batch of spring migrants. It by no 
means confines itself to swampy places, and is equally abundant on dry 
open commons amongst the furze bushes and in woods where there is 
plenty of underwood. Occasionally it is also heard from the tall heather 
on the grouse-moors. Whenever I have accidentally seen it on the wing 
its flight has been very peculiar, what might be described as a frightened 
flight, fluttermg over every bush, descending into every hollow—appa- 
rently anxious every moment to dive into some thick shelter, and con- 
sequently always having its tail depressed and half-spread so as to be 
ready to alight at a moment’s notite as soon as an opportunity offered. 
On the ground it runs like a Sandpiper, dodging in and out between the 
clumps of grass with marvellous celerity. 
The Grasshopper Warbler is no doubt almost entirely insectivorous ; but 
it probably regales itself in autumn on some of the soft fruits which 
abound in the localities which it frequents, a practice common to most if 
not all soft-billed birds. j 
The following notes respecting this charming bird are from the pen of 
my friend Mr. A. W. Johnson, who has had an excellent opportunity of 
observing it in the neighbourhood of Newcastle :—“This interesting 
Warbler is fairly abundant during the breeding-season within a radius of 
fifteen miles of Newcastle; and in a few favourite situations it is frequently — 
found in very considerable numbers. It is especially numerous in the 
county of Durham, perhaps in no locality more so than in the warm and 
sheltered valley of the Derwent. This valley in parts is well studded 
with young plantations, where the undergrowth is thick and rank, the 
