56 



KEARTONS' NATURE PICTURES 



M \K-II WAKHI.EK'S NEST. 



edition of " Yarrell," published between 

 1870-80. Thanks, however, to the pains- 

 taking labours of Mr. Harting, the Rev. 

 Ward Fowler, and others, it has been 

 proved to breed in Somersetshire, Glou- 

 cestershire, Oxfordshire, Surrey and 

 Cambridgeshire. 



The nest, which consists of dry grass- 

 stems, moss, downy fibre and horsehair, 



is not such an exquisite structure as 

 that of the Reed Warbler. It is sus- 

 pended amongst nettles, meadow-sweet, 

 and mugwood, and upon occasion I 

 have even seen it in a hedgerow at a 

 height of four or five feet from the 

 ground. One remarkable difference in 

 regard to it is that it is not built over 

 water, whereas that of the species with 

 which it has been confused invariably is. 



The eggs, numbering from four to 

 seven, luckily supply very definite diag- 

 nostic characteristics. Their greenish 

 white to greenish blue ground colour is 

 much lighter and clearer than is the case 

 in the eggs of the more widely known 

 Reed Warbler. They are spotted and 

 blotched with olive brown, with under- 

 lying markings of grey. Sometimes these 

 markings are numerous, and at others 

 they occur sparingly. 



The male bird sings on the wing 

 during the days of courtship, and some- 

 times lifts up his sweet voice by night. 



As might be expected, this species is 

 migratory, arriving in England in May, 

 and leaving again during August. 



