IV 



The Marsh Warbler 8 1 



the Aar, and listening to the Marsh Warbler, whose 

 song is as wonderful as ever. Sometimes a grating 

 outburst like that of a Sedge Warbler ; sometimes a 

 long-drawn sweet note like a Nightingale's. Then I 

 have within the last few minutes certainly heard the 

 Chaffinch imitated, and even the Nuthatch's metallic 

 note. But a low pleasing soliloquy also goes on at 

 intervals. Ah ! there is the Great Tit ; now the White 

 Wagtail, and I am beginning to get bewildered. This 

 bird creeps about a good deal in the bushes, but now 

 and then appears on a topmost shoot, and sits there 

 singing with his bill wide open, and a red -yellow 

 ' gape ' showing very plainly. Now and then he flies 

 into the tree over my head, ah ! there is the call of 

 the Eedstart, and surely this is the Skylark's song ; 

 and there is the Chaffinch again, if ever I heard a 

 Chaffinch." 



When Aplin was able to bestir himself we strolled 

 again to this spot : but the bird was silent, or almost 

 so. And for those who may seek his acquaintance 

 it may be as well to say here that the Marsh Warbler 

 is essentially a morning singer. I do not say that 

 under favourable conditions he will not sing all day 

 long, like the Nightingale, nor do I mean to exclude 

 the possibility of his singing at night. But within 

 my own experience, both in England and abroad, he 

 has always been at his best from six till ten in the 

 morning. It is then that he will take his post on 



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