THE SEDGE WAKBLER. Ill 



ness to that American bird which Southey de- 

 scribes — 



" That cheerful one who knoweth all 

 The songs of all the winged choristers ; 

 And in one sequence of melodious sounds 

 Pours all their music." 



•It is a merry bird, however, singing all day long, 

 and easily urged into song, if, when it chance to 

 be silent, a stone is thrown at it. Away it glides 

 •then into some deeper recess among the water 

 plants, and commencing its rapid strain seems to 

 bid a cheerful defiance to fear and danger ; then it 

 gives the whit, whit, whit, of the swallow, or the 

 twink, twink, of the chaffinch, to perfection; or 

 suddenly utters the chur-r-r, chur-r-r, which is its 

 own sound, if any danger is apprehended to its 

 nest from an approaching footstep. Its singing is 

 very singular as it sounds forth from the reedy 

 waters late at night, when hundreds of voices 

 seem sometimes joining in concert, and the 

 traveller at that lone hour listens with wonder 

 and pleasure to the strange tones. 



The sedge-bird builds its nest at the base of 

 some thick clump of sedges, or other plants, which 

 surround the pool. It is formed of grasses and 



