BIEDS OF EGYPT. 95 



have never been satisfactorily defined by ornithologists ; and 

 I cannot myself find any character by which they may 

 always be unerringly distinguished in the skin. In the 

 freshly killed bird the legs are paler and the general colour 

 more rufous than the Reed Warbler. 



44. AcROCEPHALUSSTENTORius (Hempr. &Ehr.). Clamorous 



Sedge Warhler. 



This large Warbler is probably a resident in Egypt, for it 

 certainly breeds there, and I have met with a specimen in the 

 Fayoom as early as the 7th of March. Towards the latter 

 end of that month I frequently saw it near Damietta, while 

 hunting for C. melanopoc/on in the forests of thick sedge and 

 reeds which surround some of the lakes. It generally keeps 

 low down in the sedge, but will occasionally rise to the top of 

 a tall reed to survey the district. Its plain colouring renders 

 it very difficult to detect ; but one is frequently made aware 

 of its presence, either by its call, which in March consists of 

 a single peculiarly loud note, repeated two or three times 

 without variation, or from the movement of the sedge caused 

 by its continual motion. In April it begins its love-song, 

 and may then be much more easily procured. Although 

 it frequents the thick sedge, it appears to prefer the proximity 

 of some slight opening, such as is made by a ditch running 

 through the swamp, in the centre of which the reeds do not 

 grow. In such spots it may be watched with ease as it hops 

 from reed to reed, keeping generally within a foot from the 

 sm-face of the water, busily intent upon capturing the small 

 aquatic insects and shells on which it subsists, and perfectly 

 heedless of observation. 



