270 



near the Kurische Haff), Pomerania, Mecklenburg, Brandenburg locally, 

 Posen, Saxony (near Leipzig) and Silesia (the Oder, Neisse, Bart- 

 schniederung etc.). It is also recorded from Anhalt, Thiiringia and Bavaria 

 (near Erlangen), while recently specimens have been obtained in W. 

 Germany also at various points on the Rhine (Cf. Le Roi, Vogel Rhein- 

 provinz, p. 274). In Austro-Hungary it breeds in Moravia, Lower Austria, 

 Hungary (in some numbers locally), Galizia, probably Transsylvania, and 

 certainly Croatia and Slavonia. In Russia its northern limit extends to 

 the middle of Finland and about 60" N. in the Urals; while southward 

 it ranges through mid-Russia (common near Moscow and S. Petersburg), 

 the Baltic Provinces and Poland, and E. to Orenburg and Perm, but 

 Pleske thinks that it only visits S. Russia on migration; although it has 

 been obtained in the Crimea early in August. (Cf. Lindner, Ornith. 

 Monatsschr., 1897, p. 214 for further details). 



Nest. "Well concealed, like those of the other - Locustellae, and placed 



either on or not more than 18 in. from the ground, generally in thick 

 willow or other bushes, especially when overgrown with rank grass, not 

 always in the neighbourhood of water. The reeling note of the male is 

 louder than that of the other members of this genus, and somewhat dis- 

 syllabic in character. The nest is built of coarse grasses and leaves of 

 reed and is rather loosely constructed on a foundation of a few dead 

 leaves, with a lining of finer grasses and roots and sometimes a little 

 horsehair. Height 3 — 31 in., outer diameter, 4i in., diameter of cup, 

 2i in., depth li — II in. 



Eggs. Usually 5, sometimes only 4 and rarely 6. They vary considerably 



in colour, shape and especially in size. The ground colour is white, 

 sometimes tinged with pink and showing some little gloss, while fine 

 spots of reddish brown, greyish red, or brown are distributed fairly 

 evenly over the surface, together with a few ashy shell markings. At 

 the big end there is often a tendency to form a zone, and the spots 

 are often a little bigger. 



Breeding jjj Germany from the beginning of June to the end of the month 



is the usual time. The earliest dates of which I have notes are, one 

 from Hungary with eggs on May 15, and one with young from Uman, 

 Russia, about June 7 ; but these dates are exceptional, and few eggs are 

 found before the end of May. The hen is not a close sitter, and does 

 not as a rule allow herself to be surprised on the nest, but slips off 

 quietly when approached. 



Measure- Average of 100 eggs (79 by Hartert, 18 by Rey and 3 by the 



ments. 



writer), 20.4 X 15.12, Max. 22.3 X 16 and 20.9 X 16.8, Min. 18 X 14. 

 Average weight of 18 eggs, 124 mg., varying from 102 to 142 mg. (Rey). 



