River-Warblers. 59 



protection to himself and his brood. Now in the 

 whole length of Isis between Kennington 1 and 

 Godstow, and of Cherwell between its mouth and 

 Parsons' Pleasure, there is no reed-bed which 

 answers all the requirements of this little bird. 

 Now and then, it is true, they will leave the reeds 

 for some other nesting-place ; one of them sang 

 away all the Summer Term of 1884 in the bushes 

 behind the Museum, nearly half a mile from the 

 river, and probably built a nest among the lilac- 

 bushes which there abound. But that year they 

 seemed to be more abundant than usual ; and 

 this, perhaps, was one for whom there was no 

 room in the limited space of the reeds at Parsons' 

 Pleasure. Thick bushes, where many lithe sap- 

 lings spring from a common root, would suit him 

 better than a scanty reed-bed. 2 



1 Unless it be in the westernmost branch, which runs at the 

 foot of the Berkshire hills. Near Godstow the nest is to be 

 found, as Mr. W. T. Arnold, of University Col., has kindly 

 informed me : for obvious reasons I will not describe the spot. 



2 In the summer of 1886 this interesting bird was quite 

 abundant in and round Oxford. If I am not mistaken a nest 

 was built in the reeds of the fountain at the south end of the 

 Botanic Garden, a perfectly secure spot. I heard the song 

 there as late as the end of July. 



