SYLVIIN^E. CALAMOHERPE. 155 



brownish- white, the lower tail-coverts unspotted. Female 

 similar, but with the upper part of the head more tinged with 

 brown, the back of a lighter tint, the rump less bright. The 

 young resemble the adults, but are more tinged with red. 



Male, 5 T \, 7 T 8 *, 2-ft, ft, |f, T V, A, . Female, 5 T 5 , 7 A. 



The Sedge Reedling, which is rather common in many of 

 the marshy parts of England, but rare in Scotland, arrives in 

 the end of April, and departs in the beginning of October. Its 

 favourite resorts are places overgrown with reeds and other 

 tall aquatic plants, among which it searches for its insect food, 

 and places its nest, which is bulky, loosely constructed of 

 grasses, and lined with finer materials of the same nature, 

 with some hair. The eggs, generally five, are eight-twelfths 

 long, six-twelfths in breadth, of a greenish-white colour, dot- 

 ted and freckled with light brown and greenish-grey. This 

 bird has a lively, modulated, and mellow song, which is often 

 heard very late at night. It is very active and lively, but 

 from its mode of life is seldom seen. 



Sedge Warbler. Sedge-bird. Sedge- wren. 



Sylvia Salicaria, Lath. Ind. d'Ornith. ii. 516. Sylvia 

 phragmitis, Temm. Man. d'Ornith. i. 189. Calamoherpe 

 phragmitis, Sedge Reedling, MacGillivray, Brit. Birds, ii. 390. 



91. CALAMOHERPE ARUNDINACEA. MARSH REEDLING. 



Tail rather long, considerably rounded ; upper parts of a 

 uniform light olive-brown, without spots ; lower parts pale 

 greenish-yellow, throat white. Female somewhat smaller, but 

 otherwise similar. 



Male, 5J, .., 2 T 9 *, T V 



This species, which is distinguished by-having the upper 

 parts of a uniform tint, they being spotted with dusky in the 

 other, arrives in the end of April, and disperses over the south- 

 ern and middle parts of England. Its habits are similar to 

 those of the Sedge Reed) ing; its song, loud, cheerful, much 

 diversified, and sometimes performed at night. The nest, of 

 an obconical form, is fastened to the stalks of several reeds, 

 nettles, or other tall plants, at some distance from the ground. 

 The eggs, four or five, are eight and a half twelfths long, nearly 

 six-twelfths in breadth, greyish-brown, faintly dotted and 

 spotted with greenish-brown. 



Reed Warbler. Reed Wren. 



Motacilla arundinacea, Gmel. Syst. Nat. i. 992. Sylvia 

 arundinacea, Temm. Man. d'Ornith. i. 191. Calamoherpe 

 arundinacea, Marsh Reediing, MacGillivray, Brit. Birds, ii. 

 395. 



