THE REED -WARBLER. 341 



or in osiers, but occasionally in hedges or bushes at considerable 

 distance from water. Also in rank marsh vegetation, nettles, 

 willow herb, etc. Nest. — Cylindrical in shape, with deep cup, 

 built on to and around reeds or branches, of grasses, Confervce, reed- 

 fiowers, etc., lined variously with grasses and feathers, wool, hair, 

 reed-tops, etc. Eggs. — Normally 4, occasionally 5, very rarely 6, 

 greenish-white, blotched and marbled to varying degree with dark 

 olive and ashy-grey. Varieties with almost white ground, boldly 

 spotted, also with dark zone or brown caps recorded. Average 

 of 100 British eggs, 18.3 x 13.6 mm. Breeding -season. — Variable, 

 most birds lay in June, but a few in latter half May. Second brood 

 apparently sometimes reared, as eggs taken in August. 



Food. — Aquatic or marsh -haunting insects and their larvae, chiefly 

 diptera, neuroj)tera (smaller dragon-flies, stone-flies, etc.), lepidop- 

 tera, and coleoptera (especially Donacia). Spiders and aphides are 

 also eaten, and according to Saunders slugs and worms. Also small 

 molluscs {Helix) in stomach (Oldham). Naumann says currants, 

 elderberries, fruit of bird-cherry and dogwood are also taken. 



DiSTRiBiJTiON. — England and Wales. — Summer -resident. By 

 nature of its habitat local, but fairly distributed throughout south 

 and midland England, except in north Devon, Cornwall, and Scilly 

 Isles, where very rare. In south Wales very local (numerous only 

 at Llangorse Lake), and not found in Pembroke, and in north Wales 

 very local and rare except on Salop border, and not recorded 

 Anglesey. In Derby breeds only in extreme south, but ranges 

 further north on each side, being found in Lanes, and Yorks., but 

 very locally, especially in north, where it is rare, but breeds in 

 small numbers as far as Craven district, Nidd Valley and Ripon 

 (once in Wensleydale) in west, and Redcar in east. Has been 

 recorded as nesting once or twice in Lake District and Durham, 

 but otherwise unlaiown north of Yorks. Scotland. — Fair Isle 

 (Shetlands) two Sept. 1908, one Sept. 1909, one June 10, 1914. 

 Auskerry (Orkneys) one Sept. 1912. Ireland. — One Cooling Bank 

 Lightship (Wicklow), Nov. 3, 1907. One Rockabill Light (Dublin), 

 Oct. 20, 1908. Two obtained and three others seen Tuskar Rock 

 (Wexford), Sept. 19, 191 1 . [One said to have been shot near Dublin 

 1843, and another to have been heard on the Shannon.] 



Migrations. — England and Wales. — Early arrivals of summer- 

 residents third week April (early date 5th) ; arrival of main body 

 begins end April or first few days of May and continues to middle 

 or end of month. No evidence of any passage-movements. Depar- 

 ture of summer -residents begins early Aug., and lasts to end Sept. 

 Some evidence of passage-movement down east coast in latter 

 half Sept. (Late dates. Outer Dowsing Lt. -v. (Lines.), Oct. 6, 1909, 

 Smalls Lt. (Pembroke), Oct. 17, 1908, Norfolk, Oct. 27, 1909.^ 



