G9 



THE GRASSHOPPER-WARBLER. 



Locustella navia (Bodd.). 



The Grasshopper-Warbler is one o£ those species which 

 from the nature of its haunts, habits, and local distribution 

 is but meagrely recorded, and it is very difficult to give 

 any idea of its course through the country. It seems 

 probable from the lighthouse-records that it arrived on the 

 south coast in small parties, the males and females travelling 

 together. If not actually in company with several other 

 species, it apparently formed part of the large waves of 

 immigrants composed chiefly of various W^arblers, which 

 arrived periodically during April. It probably at once 

 repaired to its breeding-haunts, but as it did not begin to 

 sing for a day or two after its arrival, escaped observation 

 until it had become established. It was difficult therefore to 

 connect the inland observations with those made on the 

 coast. 



The only records we have of this species from the coast were 

 those from the . Hampshire lights, and they show that the 

 bird arrived in small numbers on April the 18th, 20th, 

 22nd, and 25th. 



The Jirsi immigration was part of a huge wave consisting 

 of WheMears, Whinchats, Swallows, and no less than eight 

 other species of Warblers, but the numbers of Grasshopper- 

 Warblers were so small that they were not recorded inland. 



The second arrival on April the 20th was part of another 

 smaller wave of immigrant Warblers, and again the number 

 of Grasshopper-Warblers was so small that they were not 

 observed after their arrival. 



The third immigration, on the 22nd of April, ^\^ds also part 

 of another similar wave. 



