56 Animal Lite 
~—s in the middle of the bed of which the bird 
ES seemed to be particularly fond, while they avoided, 
as far as I could see, the dampest and densest 
parts of the cover. A year or two later the con- 
dition of the bed became very bad; the nettles 
made all the undergrowth rank and unpleasant, 
and one pai of birds was driven to make use of 
at least one nettle-stalk to support their nest. 
The land was sold, and the present owner, to 
whom I frankly explained the whole ornithological 
situation, now most kindly and considerately 
adapts the bed each spring to the propensities 
of the birds, leaving a clump or two of willows 
standing at one end, while he cuts down the rest. 
So far, this has answered very well, though we 
have never had so many pairs of birds as in the 
year I alluded to above. Another osier-bed, 
half a mile away, has been visited by the birds 
only twice in ten years, and each summer it was 
exactly in the condition which I have described 
as being most agreeable to them. 
I may add that this bird will far more easily 
be detected by the ear than by the eye. It is 
often difficult to get a good look at it, and when 
PEs La Esk seen it is extremely hard to identify, unless 
Photo. by the Scholastie Photographic Co., Wandsworth. singing. When you are quite familar with it, 
THE REED WARBLER (Acrocephalus streperus). the points of difference between it and the reed 
warbler become more obvious; but they are chiefly 
differences of figure and attitude which cannot be represented in a plate nor studied in a 
skin, and it is‘only when you have had the bird within a few feet of you or have seen it 
on the nest that you become aware of a difference in the general colour of the plumage, 
which is of a lighter and less rufous brown—lght earth brown, I should call it, not olive 
brown, as it is usually described in books. But the best way to identify the bird is to listen 
for a clear, silvery voice—the piccolo in the orchestra of bird music—which indulges 
itself in all manner of amusing freaks and imitations of other birds—a voice which is 
often silent for an hour together, and then suddenly breaks out in a succession of 
delightful phrases with hardly any harsh notes and many sweet and liquid ones. In 
the first days of June this song is perhaps at its best and in the earlier hours of the 
morning. When the cock bird has attracted a mate and the nest is begun the song 
slackens for a few days, as is the case with most of our summer migrants; but as soon 
as the first egg is laid the male begins to sing again con brio, and now usually near the 
nest, instead of changing his position frequently. 
It is not my present object to describe either nest or eggs; that has often been 
done before, and the pleasure of identification may well be left to the careful 
searcher. JI would only ask him, if he should be lucky enough to find the nest, 
either to leave it untouched or at least to refrain from taking the whole clutch of eggs. 
The bird should have every possible encouragement to return next year to the same 
breeding-place, and it will very readily do so if unmolested. 
Op dusk See 
