GREAT REED-WARBLER. 367 



Keferring to the best authorities, we find that this bird, 

 though common in the south of Europe, yearly breeds 

 in the northern departments of France, even as near to us 

 as Calais. It is well known in Belgium, and is abundant in 

 most parts of Holland, where it arrives about the beginning 

 of April. It has occurred in Heligoland, and is an annual 

 visitor to Holstein, breeding near Kiel, and, indeed, it may 

 be said throughout Europe generally south of the Baltic. 

 Pallas mentions it being very common about Astrakan, and 

 Menetries says it is not rare near Lenkoran, but there is no 

 evidence of it further eastward*. In the Holy Land its note 

 is said to be heard from every cane-brake, and there, says 

 Canon Tristram, the bird seems to have two distinct forms, 

 one darker and larger than the other t. Dr. von Heuglin 

 gives it as an occasional winter-visitant to Lower Egypt, and 

 adds that Dr. A. E. Brehm found it on the Upper Blue Nile 

 in January. It is said to occur in Tripoli, and it breeds 

 abundantly in Algeria, where, says Mr. Salvin, its song may 

 be heard incessantly night and day. Dr. Hartlaub states- 

 that it has been sent from the Gaboon to the Paris Museum, 

 and it is said to have been obtained by Andersson in 

 Damaraland t 



The whole length of the adult male is nearly eight inches ; 

 the wing from the carpal joint to the tip, about three inches 

 and a half : the bill brown, the lower mandible yellow at the 

 base and underneath to the tip ; hides brown : a line of dirty 

 white, in some specimens tinged with yellow, from the 

 nostrils over the eyes ; top of the head, cheeks, ear-coverts, 

 neck, back, wings and upper tail-coverts uniform light 

 brown ; primaries, secondaries, and tail-feathers darker, 

 with light edges ; the tail graduated, the middle pair of 



* In China, Japan, and some islands of the Malay Archipelago it is repre- 

 sented by Acrocepkalus orientalis, in India by A. brunnescens, and in Australia 

 by A. australis, all more or less nearly-allied species, but apparently always 

 distinguishable. 



t One of these may possibly be the A . arabicus recently differentiated by Dr. 

 von Heuglin. 



In South Africa another allied species, A . caffer, is believed to exist, and it 

 is possible that this was the bird obtained. 



