THE CRADLE IN THE REEDS 129 



take them some minutes to settle down 

 again. In July, when the reeds had 

 grown up, and they had ceased to sing, 

 I lost sight of them, but the sudden jerk 

 of a reed stem or the sound of wings 

 told me that my birds were still there; 

 but with the approach of autumn they, 

 with the numerous young birds, flew away 

 to the South, for these little travellers 

 must live in a perpetual summer, where 

 they are able to obtain plenty of insect 

 food. 



