7756 Birds. 



experienced ornithologist. It is some years since I first discovered 

 this warbler as a resident in our fens, more parlicularly that of Wicken. 

 This may possibly be attributed to the fact of ray having visited that 

 part more frequently than any of the others. I see no objection to 

 the theory that many yet undiscovered species are regular visitants to 

 our fens, affording as they do so suitable an abode. Should this dis- 

 covery stimulate research, or in any way forward this lovely study, it 

 will be no slight satisfaction to myself 



I now proceed to point out its specific characters : — Upper parts of 

 the plumage gray shaded with greenish gray ; a distinct streak of a 

 yellowish white passes over each eye, and the under parts of the body 

 are also white with an ochreons tinge ; tail-coverts yellowish, edged 

 with olive-gray ; both the outer tail-quills pale whitish at the end ; 

 the longest wing primary longer than the longest secondary. Length 

 5j inches and 2 lines ; carpus to tip, 2|- inches and 4 lines ; tail 

 2j inches ; tarsus 9-tenths of an inch ; claws long and slender ; the 

 wings of my example are longer than those of C. arundinacea ; beak 

 above light horn-colour ; lower mandible lightish yellow. 



Dr. Bree gives the following as its geographical range : — Russia, 

 Germany, Holland, Belgium, Switzerland, Italy and France. Count 

 Miihle informs us that this species is found in the whole of North and 

 South Africa, and in the south-west of Asia. 



Brehm, in Badeker's work upon European eggs, says of this bird : — 

 " It builds in bush'fes, in meadows and on the banks of ditches, rivers, 

 ponds and lakes. The nest is made of dry grass and straw, with pa- 

 nicles, and interwoven with strips of inner bark and horsehair outside. 

 The rim is only very slightly drawn in. It has a loose substructure, 

 and is by this and its half-globular form suspended on dry ground be- 

 tween the branches of the bushes or nettles. Easily distinguished from 

 the strongly-formed nest of C. arundinacea, which is moreover built over 

 water. It lays five or six eggs at the beginning of June, which have a 

 bluish white ground, with pale violet and clear brown spots in the 

 texture of the shell, and delicate dark brown spots on the surface, 

 mingled with which are a number of black dots. The ground colour 

 also, in many fresh eggs, is green, but clear and very different from 

 the muddy tint of the eggs of the reed warbler. The female sits daily 

 for some hours, but the male lakes his turn. Incubation lasts 

 thirteen days." 



S. P. Saville. 

 Dover House, Camhridge, 



Si'pteiribfr 14, 1861. 



I 



