16 THE WARBLER 



lings near tlicni. You can sec llicin llvino^ about the skii't 

 of the woods, the fatlier ahead as a scout; if he perceives 

 an abunchint harvest of wild gooseberries or elderberries 

 in the ])ushes, he gives notice of it to his family by a 

 joyous conic, \\\\i\ the whole trooj) hastens thither to 

 partake of tlie feast. 



The habits of the reecl-waiblers are very different. 

 The great sedge \\ail)ler |)i-efers dwelling among swampy 

 Avooded baidvs; the marsh-wari)lei' |)refers gardens and 

 fields neai- iinining watei-; tlie white throat pi-efers to 

 dwell among the willows near rve and hemp fields. 

 Thei(^ are some traits common to them all ; thev all have 

 a fialteued head like the swallow, a strong bill and a long 

 and robusi tliund) nail : they all feed exclusivelv on those 

 insects which abound in lh(> neighbourhood of water; 

 they all have the sauie yellowish grey plumage^ and the 

 same shrill. >liarp notes in llieii- song. 



Their deep nests are artistically built, skilfully woven 

 on the outside anti inside with (lr\ supple grasses. They 

 generally sus|)eud them on I w o or three sleuis lied together 

 by as many rings of moss and hair: these moveable looj)s 

 are loose enough to allow the nest to rise and fall accord- 

 ing to the luMght of ihe wat(Ms. 



In this aerial dwelling which the current and the 

 slightest breeze swav to and fro. the female lavs five cream 

 coloured eggs, veined with brown. As soon as the eggs 

 arc laid, she does not again leave her nest, but allows it 



