NOTES. 159 



Avon at Welford, about five miles down stream from Stratford. 

 Others were subsequently heard and seen, but it was not 

 until the summer of 1887 that the species was satisfactorily 

 determined, when two were shot by the author, whose attention 

 was called to them by their unmistakable song and particular 

 [sic] movements. Since that time others have been noted. 

 In 1888 four were heard, all in the same neighbourhood, 

 namely, in the valley of the Avon, near Littleton. After that 

 date others were noted, and in the middle of June, 1892, 

 a pair were seen by the author in some rank herbage in the 

 bottom of a deserted stone-quarry, when, on search being made, 

 a nest was found suspended between the stems of some nettles. 

 But an animal of some kind had apparently rushed through 

 the nettles and pushed the nest aside, so that it could no 

 longer be made use of. It contained one egg. Another nest 

 was speedily constructed near the spot, and was found to be 

 suspended between the stems of some umbelliferous plants. 

 The pair of birds were watched going to and from the nest 

 until four eggs were laid, which with the one in the first nest 

 made up the full number, and after an interval of a few days, 

 during which no more eggs were laid, both nests with the 

 eggs were taken. Since the date above mentioned the Marsh- 

 Warbler has been repeatedly heard in the same neighbourhood, 

 and no doubt remains that it is a regular summer visitor with 

 us, though not in any considerable numbers. It is a thorough 

 mimic, and has been heard to imitate the notes of the Skylark, 

 Swallow, Sparrow, Chaffinch, Blackbird, Thrush, Starling, 

 Partridge, and some others, which are mixed and blended with 

 its own notes into a low but very sweet song. The precise 

 spots chosen by the Marsh- Warbler are such as are frequented 

 by the Common Whitethroat and the Sedge- Warbler, but it 

 has not been heard in the reed-beds of the Avon." — Eds.] 



MARSH-WARBLER IN KENT. 



As I was going up Godmersham Hill on June 11th, I heard a 

 song of a Warbler unknown to me in a young ash plantation ; 

 on the 16th I again heard it and saw that the bird was an 

 Acrocepkalus ; so on the following morning I went" into the 

 plantation and watched it for some time. I should not have 

 known it from a Reed- Warbler by its colour, though I 

 thought it looked slightly yellowish below ; but its habits and 

 song were quite different ; it sang from exposed branches of 

 some slender oaks and ashes left to form standards ; it 

 generally started its bursts of song with a note like a White- 

 throats' alarm-note, then went to irregular notes something 



