MARSH WARBLER. 5 



Brelim, in Biideker's work upon European eggs, says of this bird: 

 — "It builds in bushes in meadows and on the banks of ditches, 

 rivers, ponds, and lakes. The nest is made of dry grass and straws, 

 with panicles, and interwoven with strips of inner bark and horse- 

 hair outside. The rim is only very slightly drawn in. It has a 

 loose sub-structure, and is by this and its half-globular form, suspended 

 on dry ground between the branches of the bushes or nettles, easily 

 distinguished from the strongly-formed nest of S. arundinacea, which 

 is moreover built over water. It lays five or six eggs 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 egg of the Reed 

 Warbler. The female sits daily for some hours, but the male takes 

 his turn. Incubation lasts thirteen days." 



I have been thus particular in quoting the habits and nidification 

 of this bird, as they are the principal means by which the species, 

 though undoubted, is distinguished from the Eeed Warbler. Its powers 

 of imitation are indeed remarkable. M. l'Abbe Caire writes to M. 

 Gerbe: — "This species sings most admirably, imitating with exactitude 

 the notes of the Goldfinch, the Chaffinch, and the Blackbird, as well 

 as all the other birds which frequent its neighbourhood. Its song is 

 richer in variation than that of the Nightingale, and it can be listened 

 to from morning to night." 



I think it very probable that this bird is an inhabitant of Great 

 Britain, though hitherto confounded with the Reed Warbler. I think 

 I have myself taken the nest; and Mr. Sweet's bird, mentioned by 

 Mr. Yarrell, was probably this species. 



Mr. Hastings, in his "Handbook of British Birds," and in an elabo- 

 rate article in the "Field," May 6th., 1871, has given his reasons for 

 introducing this bird into the British fauna, and also for believing it 

 to be quite distinct from our well-known Heed Warbler, S. arundi- 

 nacea, or as it is now termed by some, Acrocephalus streperus. 

 Professor Newton, however, does not consider Mr. Hastings' argument 

 conclusive, and has therefore declined to introduce A. palustris into 

 the edition of Yarrell's British Birds which he is now editing. To 

 avoid repetition I will simply quote his remarks: — 



"The Marsh Warbler, Acrocephalus palustris, (Bechstein,) is said 

 to have occurred several times in England, (Mr. Hastings, in his new 

 and useful 'Handbook of British Birds,' p. 104 refers to six such 

 instances,) and some of the examples on which the statements rest 



