146 



BIRDS. 



also^seeks these islands from April to September, though 

 considerably more local in its occurrence and very rare in 



*Wood Ire ? and ' Jt feeds on insects; occasionally on 



wren." ^ ru ^* ^ e nest * s domed and placed on or 



near the ground. It is lined with fine grasses. 



Eggs, 6 to 7, about 2/3 inch; white, with brown spots. 



The wood -wren used to nest in great abundance near 



Doberan, Mecklenburg, in May 1890. 



fiufous Warbler. A rare straggler from the South. 

 Only three have been obtained in Sussex and Devon. 



Icterine Warbler. A rare straggler from the Continent. 

 Five have been obtained one in Ireland, the rest on 

 our east coast. 



The Reed-warbler is with us from April to September, 

 chiefly in the southern counties; rare in Scotland and 



* Heed- Ireland. Song, loud rather than sweet. There 

 warbler. j s a conspicuous yellow streak above the eye. 



The underparts are white. This is among the birds that 

 sing during the summer nights, a performance credited 

 by some to the nightingale only. It feeds entirely on 

 insects. The deep nest, hung in the reeds, or, more rarely, 

 in trees, is of grass lined with feathers or wool. Eggs, 5, 

 nearly ^ inch ; bluish white, with dark spots. 



A very short stay is made by the Marsh-warbler, since 

 it does not arrive till late in May and leaves again in 



* Marsh- August. This bird closely resembles the last, 

 warbler. an( j j tg gong ig pl eagant> j tg f oodj j ike that of 



the rest, consists almost entirely of insects. Its distribu- 

 tion is local. It has nested near Taunton, Banbury, and 

 Bath. The nest is of grass lined with hair, and placed in 

 low bushes in the neighbourhood of water. Eggs, 5 to 7, 

 about ^ inch ; white, with brown spots. 



Great Reed-warbler. A rare straggler from the Conti- 

 nent. May have bred. 



Aquatic Warbler. A rare straggler. Three occurrences, 



