SAVTS WARBLER HEDGE SPAEEOW. 19 



Observation. When close to this bird, note spots on neck 

 and breast and slight bars on tail. 



Plumage. Feathers of neck and breast whitish, with dark 

 centres ; upper parts light olive-brown, each feather having 

 a dark centre ; under parts pale brown. Abdomen lighter. 

 Tail brown and slightly barred. Bill brownish above and 

 yellowish below. Legs yellowish brown. Length Sin. Female 

 almost similar. Young, more buffy on under parts. 



Language. Song ; much resembling the stridulous noise of 

 the grasshopper (hence its name). There is no music in it. 

 It is a thin, monotonous burring, not unlike an angler's reel 

 being wound up at great speed. This " song " is persistently 

 uttered. Another note, "tzic-tzic-tzac." 



Habits. It usually comes to the top of some spray to 

 deliver the song, when the body quivers as though an electric 

 current were running through it. When alarmed it at once 

 glides into the tangle like a mouse, and skulks. 



Food. Insects and their larvae, spiders ; also soft fruits and 

 berries. 



Nest. May onwards. Two broods. 



Site. In thick tuft of grass on or near the ground, at 

 bottom of furze bush, &c. 



Materials. Dry grass, dead leaves, and moss, lined with fine 

 grasses and fibres. 



Eggs. Five to seven. Pinkish white, well speckled with 

 reddish brown ; often zoned. 



SAVI'S WARBLER (Locustella luscinioides) . 



Once a regular, though scarce, summer migrant breeding 

 here, but since the draining of the Fen district it has become 

 practically extinct, certainly as a breeding species. It differs 

 from last in having upper parts rather warmer in colouring 

 and uniform, i.e., with no striations and no spots on neck and 

 breast. 



Subfamily ACCENTORINJE. 



HEDGE SPARROW on ACCENTOB (Accentor modular is). 



Resident ; abundant everywhere, except towards the extreme 

 North. 



Haunts. Gardens, orchards, copses, shrubberies, hedge- 

 rows, &c. 



Plumage. Head smoke-grey, streaked with dark brown ; 

 neck, upper breast, and scapulars bluish grey. Back and 

 wings reddish brown, streaked with dark brown. Lores brown. 

 Breast and belly buffish white, flanks with dark streaks. Bill 

 brown. Legs yellowish brown. Length 5 in. Female has 



