ii6 The Sedge-Warbler. 



Family— TURDID.-E. Sub/auiily—SYL 17/N.^. 



The Sedge-Warbler. 



Acroccplialus plirag/iiiiis, BechST. 



OCCURS ill Norway up to lat. 70°, in Sweden and North Russia to lat. 68°, 

 and in the valleys of the Obb and Yenessay to lat. 67°. Southward it 

 breeds in North-west Turkestan, Palestine, Greece, and Central Ital}', but 

 in the South of Europe generally it is only known as a migrant, though it is 

 believed that it sometimes breeds in Spain and the South of France : throughout 

 the rest of Europe it is pretty generally distributed, and abundant in suitable 

 localities. It visits Algeria and Egypt in the winter, passing thence to Damara- 

 land and the Transvaal : it also seems probable, from the fact that Dixon shot 

 the species in May in Algeria, that a few examples remain to breed there. 



In Great Britain the Sedge-Warbler is more or less abundant everj^where, 

 excepting perhaps on the Shetlands; it is, however, somewhat local in the extreuie 

 north. 



Far more strikingl}^ coloured than the Reed- Warbler, this well-known species 

 has a general resemblance to hens of the Orange Weaver-bird fPyro7nelana fraiicis- 

 cana) : the general colouring of the upper parts is golden-brown, with black 

 centres to the feathers ; but on the head the feathers would be more accurately 

 described as black, with lateral brown borders; on the rump and upper tail-coverts 

 the}' are cinnamon reddish, without black centres; the secondaries are blackish 

 with broad clear golden-brown borders ; the primaries smoky-grey, narrowly and 

 more or less distinctly edged at the tips with whitish ; tail-feathers blackish, with 

 whitish margins ; a distinct broad pale buff superciliar}- streak ; lores and ear- 

 coverts smoky-brown ; chin and throat white ; centre of abdomen whitish ; remain- 

 der of body below buff; upper mandible blackish-brown, lower mandible yellowish 

 horn-brown, darker towards the tip ; feet pale brown ; iris bright hazel. The 

 female is slightly duller than the male, and the reddish colouring of the rump 

 and upper tail-coverts is less pronounced. Young birds have the breast trans- 

 versely spotted with smoky-brown. 



The Sedge- Warbler appears at its brcediug haunts towards the end of April, 

 or the beginning of May, and leaves us again in September or October. Although 



