REED-WARBLER. 369 



Europe, south of latitude 58, and in Asia Minor, Palestine, South-west 

 Siberia, Turkestan, Persia, Baluchistan, and probably in Afghanistan. 

 It is said to be a resident in Greece and the surrounding islands ; but it 

 - through North Africa on migration, and winters in Central Africa. 

 Severtzow maintains that the Turkestan birds are a distinct species, which 

 he has named Acroctphalus macronyx ; but the last time I was in Moscow 

 we very carefully examined his series of these birds, principally from the 

 valley of the Syr-Darja, where he says his new species is a resident, and I 

 failed to detect any specific difference whatever*. 



The Reed- Warbler, as its name implies, is a denizen of the reed-beds 

 and sedges which often abound on the shallow margins of rivers, lakes, 

 ponds, and ditches. It is, however,, by no means confined to the reeds, 

 and is very partial to brushwood in the vicinity of water, and also frequents 

 gardens, especially where there are ponds. Some continental ornitho- 

 logists have attempted to discriminate between the birds frequenting reeds 

 and those frequenting bushes ; but there does not appear to exist a 

 shadow of evidence in favour of their being distinct. 



The habits of all the Reed- Warblers are almost exactly alike. They 

 are migratory birds, never remaining in this country during the winter, 

 and arriving somewhat late in spring. Even in the south of England the 

 song of the Reed- Warbler is not heard before the last week of April, and 

 many birds do not arrive before May is well advanced. A bird so retiring 

 in its habits is more often heard than seen ; but with care it is not difficult 

 to obtain a sight of the indefatigable songster as it clings to a perpen- 

 dicular reed or willow-twig, or flies across the water from one reed-bed to 

 another, or hurries over the tops of the reeds along a ditch or across a 

 pond. In cold windy weather they do not sing much unless disturbed; 

 but in bright sunny mornings or warm still evenings they sing inces- 

 santly, half a dozen birds apparently trying to outrival each other in the 

 loudness and rapidity of their notes. In calm close weather they will 

 sing almost all night. The song is somewhat more monotonous than 

 that of the Sedge-Warbler ; the whistle is not so full, so rich, or so 

 loud; but, as if to compensate for this, the scold is by no means so harsh, 

 and is decidedly gentler ; but the notes follow each other in rapid suc- 

 cession, and possess considerable variety and some melody. Its call-note 



* Severtzow kindly lent me one of his types for comparison. The wing measures 

 2'85 inches, the tail '2 -3, the culnien -7, the tarsus -98, and the hind toe and claw -63. 

 The second primary is intermediate between the fourth and fifth. The colour is slightly 

 paler than British examples, but does not differ from that of skjng from Savoy, Central 

 Germany, TraiJIylvama, and the Ural river. The size of the feet of these small birds 

 varies considerably, probably in consequence of difference of age or sex; and I have 

 examples of this species from Europe with quite as large feet as those of the Turkestan 

 birds. 



VOL. I. 2s 



