GRASSHOPPER WARBLER. 143 



THE GRASSHOPPER WARBLER, SALICARIA 

 LOCUSTELLA, Selby. Curruca locustella, Swains. 

 Grasshopper Warbler of British authors. 

 This species, though somewhat similar in its 

 manners to the two last, still differs very widely, 

 and blends with them the skulking disposition of 

 curruca, together with the structure of the nest 

 The situations which it frequents are somewhat 

 different also, and it is almost confined to what 

 are called " bottoms," low lying dells watered by a 

 small stream, arid clothed with a tangled thicket 

 of brushwood, black-thorn and brier, bramble and 

 whin, intermixed with the various herbaceous 

 plants and rank grasses which overgrow such 

 retreats ; here, by persevering watch, it will be 

 discovered by its low sibilous note, closely re- 

 sembling that uttered by some of the grass~ 

 hoppers, and serving, no doubt, as Mr Selby ob- 

 serves, both to attract the insect and its own mate. 

 It is so shy and diffident, that the least noise will 

 cause its concealment, and it possesses none of 

 the garrulity of the former birds, and cannot be 

 brought to recommence its notes by any distur- 

 bance among the bushes. The nest is placed in 

 the bottom or roots of the low close bushes, some- 

 times a little way raised, and has no appearance 

 of a pensile character, in structure and materials 

 rather resembling those of the last genus. The 

 eggs are of a dull white, sometimes of a pinkish 

 gray tint, spotted with the same colour, and 

 amount in number to from five to seven. 



