38 IHE RIRDS OF LElCESTERSHtRfi. 



49. — The Peewit {]'(iitellu'< cristatusj. Common. 

 50. — The Heron (Ardea cinerea). Common. 

 51. — The Water Rail (Ivdlht.f aquaticiiK). Common. 

 52. — The Moorhen ((idlUnuUt chloropu^). Common. 

 53.— The Wild Duck [Aiuis liosclias). Common. 

 54. — The Little Grebe (Podicepa minor). Frequent. 



Since my notice of the Summer mifjrauts, in the November 

 number, I have received a letter from my friend, Mr. Montagu Browne, 

 upon the subject of the Reed Warbler. His letter is so interesting to 

 Ornithologists that I ask you to add it to this paper. 



( Copy } . 

 My Dear Sir, 



I see in your interesting and useful lists of the Birds of Leicester- 

 shire you mention nut having xeen the " Reed Warbler." I can, 

 however, set the question at rest as to whether " .\crocephalus 

 streperus" (Vieill), your •• Salicaria strepera " may be considered as 

 inhabiting or breeding in Leicestershire. 



Last year, when I first came to Leicester. I took a few short walks 

 for purposes of observation, and during one of tliem came to a spot in 

 which I should expect to find nesting the " Sedge Warbler," '• Acro- 

 cephalus Schoenoboenus " (l), and possibly the Reed Warbler in question. 

 This spot, though close to Leicesterandof considerable extent, is yet very 

 difficult of approach to pedestrians : accordingly, in the following May. I. 

 with a young friend, launched my double canoe and paddled through the 

 reeds until we could find a landing-place. The season being very 

 backward the new growth of reeds was but just springing, and we had 

 an almost uninterrupted view of any birds we might flush. Soon I 

 had the pleasure of seeing, and hearing the notes of, both birds we 

 came in search of, and then we commenced nest hunting in earnest, 

 with the result that in about an hour we had found eleven nests of four 

 species of birds, three of which were those of Acrocephalus streperiis. 

 They were not, however, so forward in construction as the Sedge Warb- 

 lers, or the other birds, allof which latter had eggs. We contented ourselves 

 that day with merely looking on and admiring ; but on the 9th June we 

 paddled down again with some ladies, and in addition to finding many 

 more Sedge Warblers' nests, found several more of the Reed 

 Warbler, a beautiful specimen of which, with five eggs, we took for 

 the Leicester Museum, as also one with four eggs of the ■' Sedge." lu 

 fact, so abundant then did we find both species that we might, had we 

 been so minded, have taken twenty or more nests ; but so charming 

 were they in situ that we were loth even to rob the two we did. 



The nest we have is very beautiful, of a deep cup-like form, placed 

 between three old, and four newly grown, reeds, built externally of 

 pieces of coarse grass, moss, sheeps' wool, string, and one or two 

 pieces of swan's down, superimposed on a stratum of last year's fiower- 

 headsof the reed,which flower-heads are so arranged that the softest part 

 is woven towards the inside, so as to form an elastic and fitting receptacle 

 for the eggs. Why the greatest quantity of wool and down should be 

 woven outside the nest I cannot tell, but iu all the nests we examined, 

 we found this the case. 



I am sorry I can give no definite iuformation as to the locality for 

 the Orphean Warbler, Savis Warbler, Rufous Warbler, Richards' 

 Pipit, Water Pipit, and Golden Oriole, in the Bickley Collection of the 

 Leicester Museum, but I imagine them to be of foreign origin, as I 

 notice in the same collection various other specimens bearing 



