VOL. LXXV.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 633 



From the foregoing remarks it is evident, that the bird mentioned is a species 

 of Motacilla, which, as I can find no such described by any systematic writer, I 

 shall venture to name, after the Linnean manner, Motacilla (arundinacea) supra 

 olivaceo-fusca, subtus albida, loris et orbitis fusco-albescentibus, angulo carpi 

 subtus luteo-fulvo, cauda subcuneata fusca, plantis luteo-virescentibus. 



As we have already a bird, called in English the Willow-wren ; ours, beino- 

 nearly of the same size and shape, as well as the same genus, may, from its 

 haunts, not improperly be denominated the Reed-wren. It frequents the banks 

 of the river Coin near Uxbridge, as far as from Harefield-Moor down to Iver, 

 about the space of 5 miles, and very probably most other parts of the same river, 

 though not as yet observed. It is also certainly found in the neighbourhood of 

 Dartford in Kent, whence a nest and eggs were communicated by the ingenious 

 Mr. Latham of that place, but without knowledge of the bird to which they be- 

 longed ; so that there is little doubt but that it may be found in many parts of 

 the kingdom. 



Its food is insects, at least in part, for I observed it catching flies. It hops 

 continually from spray to spray, or from one reed to another, putting itself into a 

 stooping posture before it moves. I heard it make no other than a single note, 

 not unlike the sound of the word peep, uttered in a low plaintive tone ; but this 

 might probably be only a note of distress, and it may have, perhaps, more pleas- 

 ing and melodious ones at other times, with which I am unacquainted. The 

 nest is a most curious structure, unlike that of any other I am acquainted with, 

 enough to point out the difference of the species, if every other character was 

 wanting. It is composed externally of dry stalks of grass, lined, for the most 

 part, with the flowery tufts of the common reed, or arundo vallatoria, but some- 

 times with small dead grasses, and a few black horse-hairs to cover them. This 

 nest is usually found suspended or fastened on, like a hammock, between 3 or 4 

 stalks of reeds, below the panicles of flowers, in such a manner that the stalks run 

 through the sides of the nests at nearly equal distances; or, lo speak more proper- 

 ly, the nest is tied on to the reeds with dead grass, and sometimes (as being more 

 eligible when it can be had) even with thread and pack-thread, emulating the 

 work of a sempstress, as was the case of the nest exhibited in the drawing. The 

 bird however, though generally, does not always confine her building to the sup- 

 port of reeds ; sometimes she fixes it on to the branches of the water-dock ; and, 

 in one instance only (that here delineated), it was found fastened to the trifurcated 

 branch of a syringa bush, or Philadelphus, growing in a garden hedge by the 

 river side. She lays commonly four eggs ; the ground colour a dirty white, 

 stained all over with dull olive-coloured spots, but chiefly at the greater end, 

 where are generally seen '2 or 3 small irregular black scratches ; but these are 

 sometimes scarcely visible. 



vol. xv. 4 M 



