THE RETURN OF THE BIRDS 73 



winged food. In addition to insects it consumes 

 snails, slugs, worms, and the myriad life of dank 

 weeds and grasses. Although the bird generally 

 affects such spots as we have indicated, it sometimes 

 seeks considerable elevations. These are covered 

 with coarse grass, bents, furze, and heather; and 

 here, at morning and evening, it reels out its con- 

 tinuous cricket-like song. It returns to the same 

 spot year after year, and although from these the 

 particular notes may often be heard, yet the bird 

 itself is rarely seen. At the least noise it drops from 

 the support from which it may be depending, into 

 the grass beneath, and then is silent. The shifting 

 song marks the restless track of the little singer. 

 It needs no stretch of imagination to detect in the 

 notes of this species the similarity to the grasshopper, 

 and the " monotonous whirr, like the spinning of a 

 fishing-reel " is fairly expressive of the bird's song. 

 A perfect master of intricate maze and covert, it is 

 never far distant from these. Even though the bird 

 has ventured beyond its accustomed limits, its 

 vigilance sends it back at the least noise, though this 

 retreat is rarely observed; for, instead of flying, it 

 creeps closely, never rising when alarmed. Among 

 the tangled herbage of underwood is the nest of 

 perhaps the most difficult and rarely found of all 

 our birds. Composed of such materials as the spot 

 in which it is built affords, it is cup-shaped and 



