SEDGE WARBLER. 139 



wings, with the first quill, minute ; second 

 and third longest, and nearly equal ; tail 

 rather long, rounded or cuneated ; feet rather 

 large, formed for grasping ; hallux and claws 

 very strong. S. socutella, phragmites, &c. 

 Note. Habits aquatic ; climb among reeds and 

 aquatic plants. 



THE SEDGE WARBLER SALICARIA PHRAG- 

 MITES. Sedge Warbler, Sedge Bird, Reed 

 Pauvette, of British authors. This bird is by 

 far the most frequent and commonly distributed 

 of our native species ; indeed it is nearly as 

 abundant as any of our summer warblers. It 

 frequents reed-brakes and willow-holts, moist 

 meadows surrounded with underwood, the mar- 

 gins of rivers fringed with brush or tall aquatic 

 plants, and young woods planted in low or damp 

 lands. In passing the skirts of these, this little 

 bird may almost day and night be heard rattling 

 away at his own song and that of others ; and if 

 for a moment he should be silent, a stone cast 

 into the cover will bring him forth again with 

 even more than his usual energy. During the 

 clear long nights of summer this is also carried 

 on with little intermission, and if silent, any sud- 

 den noise made on approaching or passing his 

 haunts will immediately rouse him. The nest is 

 built among reeds or tall aquatic plants, or it is 

 placed among the lower branches of the brush- 

 wood. Amidst the former it can scarcely be said 



