THE BIRD-LIFE OF LONDON 



The deep, cup-shaped nest may either be built hammock- 

 wise amongst the reed stems or suspended from one or 

 two thin twigs, at a height of a few inches or several 

 feet from the water, over which it is usually made. The 

 materials are woven round several reed stems or twigs, 

 and consist of dead grass and various aquatic herbs, leaves 

 of last year's reeds, bits of moss, and roots, lined with finer 

 grass and roots, a little hair, and sometimes particles of 

 vegetable down, or even a few feathers. The four or five 

 eggs are pale greenish blue, spotted and blotched with 

 greenish brown, pale brown, and grey, with occasionally 

 a few dark hair-like lines or freckles. The old birds be- 

 come very restless and scolding if their nest be menaced. 

 But one brood is reared, often after several attempts, 

 and the return migration takes place in September. 

 The food of this Warbler is almost if not entirely com- 

 posed of insects and larvae, such as haunt the waterside, 

 but its frequent visits to gardens may be for the smaller 

 fruits. Although it flies in an apparently feeble and 

 hesitating manner its powers of wing must of course be 

 very considerable to enable it successfully to cross the 

 seas twice each year. 



The adult Reed Warbler is olive-brown above, with a 

 perceptible tinge of rufous on the rump, the pale eye- 

 stripe very indistinct, and pale buff below, becoming 

 nearly white on the throat and centre of the belly. Bill 

 dark brown above, pale brown below ; tarsi and toes 

 greyish brown ; irides brown. Length 5-$- inches. 



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