MARSH WARBLER. 7 



brown. The tarsus of A. palustris, moreover, is rather longer and 

 stouter than that of its congener.' 



"It must be remarked that other writers give a somewhat different 

 account of the outward distinctions of the two birds, and the colour 

 of the legs, upon which Mr. Hastings most relies, especially seems to 

 be a doubtful characteristic. Many, if not most British authors, state 

 that the legs of the Reed Warbler are light coloured, and if their 

 descriptions have been made from specimens, and not copied, it is 

 not only clear that birds with the light coloured legs (that is, in Mr. 

 Hastings' opinion, Marsh Warblers,) are not at all uncommonly met 

 with, but also that the original Motacilla arundinacea of Lightfoot 

 was one. 



" The editor must add that he does not charge with want of caution 

 those writers who have unhesitatingly admitted the Marsh Warbler as 

 a British bird; he can only lament that his own power of discrimi- 

 nation is so inferior to theirs. If before investigating the subject he 

 had any prepossession at all, it was in favour of the occasional 

 appearance of the bird in England; but since, according to orni- 

 thologists who have studied both species in life, it differs so strikingly 

 in song and habits from the Reed Warbler, it is manifestly unlikely 

 to occur often in this country without its presence being remarked 

 by our numerous out-of-door observers." 



In the "Bulletin de la Societe Ornithologique Suisse" for 1866, 

 tome 1, partie 2, there is an excellent paper by Monsieur M. V. 

 Fatio, entitled "Quelques Observations sur la Calamoherpe palustris, 

 Bechst.," in which the specific differences between that bird and 

 Calamoherpe arundinacea are clearly laid down. After reading this 

 paper, as well as that of Mr. Hastings, I feel it is impossible to hold 

 the opinion of Professor Newton, that this specific distinction has 

 not been established. This decision ought, strictly speaking, to ex- 

 clude the bird from my work, as there is no doubt of the fact that 

 Acrocephalus palustris has been taken several times in this country. 

 But the interest which is attached to the subject, and the want of 

 figures and descriptions in English, have induced me to retain the 

 bird, and thus give English ornithologists a better opportunity of 

 deciding the question for themselves. I will make one or two quotations 

 from Fatio's paper. 



The two birds had been confounded with each other in Switzerland 

 up to the year 1864, when Fatio discovered with astonishment a great 

 number established in the valley "d'Heremence en Valais." Fatio 

 was at first struck with the song, which he heard at their nesting- 

 place four thousand feet above the sea, in the Valley of the Rhone, 



