84 BIRD-LIFE IN A SOUTHERN COUNTY. 



this Warbler is so abundant as in many parts of 

 Devonshire. Their numbers put one in mind of 

 the Reed Warblers on certain reaches of the 

 Thames, and in parts of Sussex. So regularly do 

 these Sedge Birds return to certain spots, and so 

 numerous are they, that they may fairly be called 

 permanent colonies, and there are many of these 

 colonies by the water-side in Devon. We are 

 sorry to say, however, that within the past eight 

 years drainage and building have sadly decreased 

 the numbers of this interesting little bird in 

 various parts of South Devon. 



We have dealt hitherto chiefly with the swift- 

 flowing streams, and those that enter the sea by 

 way of more or less hilly and rocky fiords ; but 

 there are many others that find an outlet over 

 level country presenting broad estuaries of sand 

 and mud, and these within tidal limits possess 

 certain avine characteristics. From the nature of 

 the uplands whence they rise most of the Devon- 

 shire rivers are more or less turbulent in their 

 upper reaches, but their course within tidal limits 

 is subject to considerable diversity. This is 

 admirably illustrated by two such rivers as the 

 Dart and the Exe. The Dart winds down 



