SITUATION OF NEST. 203 



which is best suited to its peculiar habits, of which Mudie 

 gives us this characteristic account : 



The Reed Buntings are rather energetic in the air, and active in 

 many of their motions, those of the tail especially, which are more 

 rapid than even in those of the Wagtails. The tail is considerably- 

 produced and spread, and forked at the extremity. The habit 

 which the bird has of clinging to the flexible culms of the aquatic 

 plants, with free use of its bill, so that it may bruise the husks and 

 pick out the seeds, renders the powerful and ready motion of the 

 tail, as a means of balancing, absolutely necessary. The security 

 and even the grace with which it rides, when the stems are laid 

 almost level with the water, now on one side and then on another, 

 are well worthy of notice. It not only adheres as if it were part of 

 the plant, but it contrives to maintain nearly the same horizontal 

 position, with its head to the wind. In action, though not in song, it- 

 is the most interesting bird that inhabits the same locality. 



When the winds of autumn and winter have shaken out the seeds, 

 and the floods borne down the reeds themselves, the Reed Bunting 

 resorts to other pastures, associating with the Yellow Bunting and 

 other grain-eating birds, and in company with them approaching 

 houses and farm-yards when the weather is severe. 



It has been noticed by Mr. Salmon of Thctford, that both 

 sexes of this bird endeavour to allure intruders from their 

 nest. In a contribution to ' London's Magazine of Natural 

 History,' he says 



Walking last spring amongst some rushes growing near a river, 

 my attention was arrested by observing a Black-headed Bunting 

 shuffling through the rushes, and trailing along the ground, as if one 

 of her legs or wings were broken. I followed her to see the result, 

 and she, having led me to some considerable distance, took wing, no 

 doubt much rejoiced on return to find her stratagems had been 

 successful in preserving her young brood, although not in preventing 

 the discovery of her nest, containing five young ones, which I found 

 was placed, as usual, on the side of a hassock, or clump of grass, 

 and almost screened from view by overhanging dead grass. I have 

 invariably found it in such a situation, and never suspended between 

 reeds, as is sometimes stated; it was composed of dried grass, and 

 lined sparingly with hair. 



An anecdote of this bird is related by Neville Wood, 

 which seems to indicate the possession of a reasoning 

 power. 



Some years ago, when walking with a friend, I remember seeing 

 two Reed Buntings in an osier bed, the male perched erect on the 



