THE ZooLtocist—DEcEMBER, 1875. 4715 
resemble each other, I may be allowed perhaps to point out the 
distinctions I have relied on; and 1 must confess I have not been 
able to find anything except the general colour of the plumage 
and of the legs. This general colour, however, seems to me sufli- 
cient to enable anyone to distinguish the skins of the reed warbler 
from those of the marsh warbler when placed in a row. 
The whole of the upper surface of the marsh warbler (A. palustris) 
has a decided tinge of yellowish green, brightest and most easily to 
be distinguished on the rump: this tinge pervades even the quills 
and the tail, being most discernible in those parts on the margins 
of the feathers; therefore the birds killed before the autumn moult, 
when the margins of the feathers are much worn, seem to be the 
most difficult to separate. The under parts, except just in the 
centre (where they are white), are of a pale sulphur- or primrose- 
yellow; the legs are pale. 
The upper surface of the reed warbler (A. streperus) is brown, 
with a decided reddish tinge, as in A. palustris), brightest and most 
distinguishable on the rump; the same tone of colour pervades both 
the wings and the tail, being most discernible on the margins of 
the feathers; the under parts, except just in the centre (where they 
are white), are of a buff- or fawn-colour, the same sort of reddish 
tinge prevailing on these parts as well as on the upper parts; the 
legs are darkish lead-colour, though in some dried specimens the 
colour of the legs does not differ so very much; but, on the whole, 
it will be found that the birds with the greenish.tinge have the legs 
pale, while those with the reddish hue have them dark. 
These distinctions seem to me quite as discernible in the British 
as in the foreign specimens; indeed the difference between Dr. 
Woodforde’s reed warblers and his marsh warblers was greater than 
in any of the skins sent me by Mr. Saunders. 
I confess I cannot see some of the distinctions pointed out by 
Mr. Harting in Professor Newton’s edition of Yarrell—namely, the 
difference in the streak over the eye and in the relative length of 
the quills. This last seems to depend much on moult. 
It is not without considerable hesitation that I claim A. palustris 
as a Somersetshire bird and as distinct from A. streperus, as I am 
well aware that Professor Newton does not see his way to admit it 
as a British bird, not being satisfied that the British-killed speci- 
mens which have been submitted to him can clearly be identified 
as A. palustris ;. and that Mr. Gould, although he admits A. palustris 
