76 SEDGE WABBLEB. 



with little intermission, and even still on 'till morning comes 

 again.' Any sudden alarm brings forth its rattle with renewed 

 vigour. It is correctly said by some to imitate the notes of 

 other birds; I have heard it myself closely take off the 

 chirping of the Sparrow. Mr. James R. Garrett, says Mr. 

 Thompson, has known it repeat the cricket-like note of the 

 Grasshopper Warbler, and suddenly burst out into the song 

 of the Swallow or some other bird. So also Mr. Stewart 

 narrates, as quoted in the same work, that he has heard it 

 mimic the clear warble of the Thrush, and the hoarse twitter 

 of the Sparrow; to which Mr. Selby adds the notes of the 

 Lark and the Linnet. 



N. Howe, Esq., of Worcester College, Oxford, has taken the 

 nest in a seringa tree. It is usually placed at about two, 

 and never at a greater height than three or four, feet from 

 the ground, on a stump of a willow or alder tree, but generally 

 among the tall grass or flags that grow along the side of 

 the river or pool. G. B. Clarke, Esq., of Woburn, has been 

 kind enough to forward me specimens of the nest and eggs. 

 The nest is made of stalks of grass, and other smaller plants, 

 lined with finer parts of the same and hair: it is rather large, 

 and but loosely put together. Selby says that moss is 

 sometimes used. The young leave the nest very soon. 



The eggs, four, or generally five, Sir William Jardine says 

 six or seven, in number, are of a pale yellowish brown colour, 

 marked with light brown and dull grey. They are usually 

 closely freckled all over. Mr. Heysham mentions a nest which 

 contained three quite white. Sometimes they are uniform dull 

 yellow: they are laid early in May. 



Male; weight, about three drachms; length, about four inches 

 and a third; the upper bill, broad at the base, is brownish 

 black, the lower pale reddish brown, the end dusky, a pale 

 brown streak runs from it to the eye, and a short way down 

 the side of the neck; iris, brown; over it is a broad yellowish 

 white band, proceeding from the base of the bill. Head on 

 the crown, brownish black, the edges of the feathers streaked 

 with light brown, in the latter part of the summer it becomes 

 nearly uniform brownish black; neck on the sides, yellowish 

 brown, on the back and nape, reddish brown, tinged with 

 grey, the middle of each feather being dark brown; chin and 

 throat, nearly white; breast, brownish white, strongly tinged 

 with yellowish brown on the sides; back above, reddish brown, 

 tinged with grey, the middle of each feather being dark brown, 



