THE REED-WARBLER. m 



greenish-white, mottled, or streakily spotted with olive, and with slightly greyer 

 shell-markings ; the spots frequently collect in a dark zone round the larger end, 

 and are rendered richer by the addition of one or two black dots ; but, excepting 

 in the paucity or density of the markings, the eggs of this species vary very little ; 

 they always have a dull, blurred appearance. 



The music of the Reed- Warbler is very poor and weak, with very little 

 variation ; it sounds more like the clamouring of nestlings for food, than the love- 

 song of an adult bird ; it has the same querulous peevishness in its tones at times, 

 but especially when one is approaching the nest. 



This bird nevertheless is by no means destitute of the power of mimicry. 

 My friend, Charles A. Witch ell, in his fascinating book " The evolution of bird- 

 song," pp. 221-2, observes: "A Reed- Warbler heard by me at Brimscombe, near 

 Stroud, imitated many times the cries of the Starling, including the common cry 

 of alarm (the cah employed as an alarm to the young) and the song of the Starling. 

 A pair of the latter species had a nest within ten yards of the singer ; hence I 

 was able to compare the imitations (which were excellent) with their originals. 

 The Swallow, Wagtail, and House-Sparrow were also abundantly imitated. The 

 Swallow's song was capitally rendered seven times successfully. Mr. H. C. Playe 

 informs me that he has heard numbers of these birds near Oxford, and that they 

 are good mimics." 



The food of the Reed- Warbler consists chiefly of the numerous insects and 

 their larvae which abound upon the reeds and sedges, of spiders, small worms, 

 slugs, and, when they are ripe, of small fruits and berries. In captivity it would 

 probably eat the usiial soft food ; but I should hardly think it would make a 

 specially interesting aviary pet. 



