148 TREATISE ON 



and other insects that frequent marshes ; and it is 

 curious to see how quickly it darts from the reeds 

 or willow-roots, catches the fly, and flits back 

 again. This we have often observed. Tlie reed- 

 warbler sings a great deal, both through the day 

 and in the evening, but never in sight of any per- 

 son, if they are in motion. In order to see the 

 bird, it is necessary to sit or to lie down. These 

 birds may be brought up and fed as the redbreast 

 or hedge-sparrow. 



Description and Plumage. 



The reed-warbler is an elegant species, both as 

 to shape and plumage ; length rather less than five 

 inches and a half. The bill hair-brown above, 

 whitish below ; eyes hazel, or umber-brown ; head, 

 neck, back, Avings, and tail, yellomsh brown, faint- 

 ly inclining to oil-gi-een ; middle of the feathers 

 of the back of the neck and wing-coverts marked 

 with a dingy, very pale umber-brown tint ; over 

 each eye there is a streak of yellowish- white; throat 

 the same, mottled with pale hair-brown ; breast 

 and lower parts a beautiful pale primrose-yellow, 

 inclining to white, the breast rather deeper, pass- 

 ing into wine-yellow ; tail rather short, and a little 

 rounded at the end ; legs and feet hair-brown ; 

 hind claw somewhat long, and a little curved. 



