91 



GREAT SEDGE WARBLER. 



Salicaria turdoides, SELBY. 



SalixA. willow. Turdoides. TurdusA. Thrush. JEidosThQ 



likeness or resemblance of any thing. 



I AM exceedingly happy in being able to give a figure of 

 the present species as a new British bird, having received 

 information from Mr. Chaffey, of Dodington, Kent information 

 which may be most implicitly relied on that one was killed 

 in Kent on the 4th. of May, 1853, by the side of a pond 

 near Sittingbourne, by Mr. Or. Thomas, of that place. 



The Great Sedge Warbler is exceedingly abundant in 

 Holland, and frequents also the low flat lands of France to 

 the shores of the English Channel, so that it is anything 

 but surprising that one should have found its way across, a 

 'Pathfinder' perhaps for many another, or still more probably, 

 a follower of many others which may have come over in 

 previous years and have been overlooked. 



Its food consists of insects the smaller dragon-flies, gnats, 

 and others. 



This is considered a delightful Warbler, from whence its 

 specific name, as approximating in the excellence of its tones 

 to those of the Thrush. Its notes are hurried, but loud and 

 rich. 



The nest is located among the stalks of reeds. 



The eggs are five in number, obtuse, greenish white, spotted 

 with black and ash-colour. 



Male; bill, brown, darkest along the upper edge and at 

 the tip; over the eye is a white stripe. Head, crown, neck 

 on the back, and nape, uniform light brown; chin, throat, 

 and breast, white, delicately tinged with brown; back, light 

 brown. Wings, brown; tail, light brown; legs and toes, 

 light brown. 



The female does not differ appreciably from the male. 



