THE SINGING BIRDS. 26l 



green, and spotted and streaked or marbled with brownish grey. Both parents assist in the labour 

 of incubation, and hatch the young in about thirteen days, if undisturbed ; but, if molested, they 

 frequently desert the nest, and at once commence preparations for another brood. At first, the female 

 alone appears to feel solicitude or care for her eggs, her mate usually amusing himself until they 

 are hatched, by singing and fluttering about throughout the entire day, and exhibiting no distress, 

 even should both mother and brood be removed or destroyed. No sooner, however, have the 

 nestlings left the shell than his interest is awakened, and he tends and protects them with anxious 

 care. The young quit the nest as soon as they are fledged, and run like mice about the surrounding 

 stalks, until they are strong enough to fly. 



" The Sedge Warbler," says Mr. Yarrell, "is a summer visitor to this country, arriving in April 

 and leaving again in September, but on one occasion a single specimen was observed near High 

 Wycombe, in Buckinghamshire, in winter. Immediately on its arrival it takes to thick cover by the 

 water-side, and is much more frequently heard than seen ; though it may occasionally be observed 

 flitting on the uppermost twigs of the willows it inhabits, giving rapid utterance to a succession of 

 notes as it flies from one branch to another. White, of Selborne, appears to have first made Pennant 

 acquainted with this species, and, with his usual acuteness, detailed the habits of the bird, particularly 

 remarking its power of imitating the notes of other birds and its singing at night. The observations 

 of others in various localities have confirmed the accuracy of his remarks, and the Sedge Warbler, in 

 the situations it frequents, may be heard throughout the day, and frequently during a summer night, 

 imitating the notes of various birds in a somewhat confused and hurried manner; and should he 

 desist for a few minutes' rest, it is only necessary to throw a stone or clod of dirt among the bushes — 

 he will immediately commence a series of repetitions, but seldom quits his covered retreat." " The 

 marshy banks of the Thames, on either side of the river, where beds of reeds or willows abound," 

 continues the same accurate writer, " are well stocked with this bird ; although, from the wet and 

 muddy nature of the ground, they are not very easy to get at. In the southern and western counties 

 it occurs in Hampshire, Dorsetshire, Devonshire, Cornwall, and in Wales ; and is a summer visitor to 

 the north of Ireland. It occurs also in the marshes of Essex, in Suffolk, Norfolk, Lincolnshire, 

 Yorkshire, Northumberland, and Lancashire, and was traced by Mr. Selby, in Sutherlandshire, to the 

 northern extremity of the island ; it was found pretty generally distributed along the margins of the 

 lochs, particularly where low birchen coppice and reedy grass abounded. The well-known babbling 

 notes of this wakeful little songster proclaimed its presence in many unexpected situations." 



The GRASSHOPPER WARBLERS (Locustella) constitute a group presenting the following 

 characteristics : — Their slender body is much deeper than it is broad ; the awl-shaped beak, wide at 

 its base ; the foot of moderate height, and toes long ; the wings, in which the second and third quills 

 exceed the rest in length, are short and rounded ; the tail is broad, of medium size, graduated at its 

 extremity, and the feathers are of unusual length. The rest of the plumage is soft and delicate, 

 usually of a brownish green above, with dark spots on the back and upper part of the breast. The 

 voice of these birds is very remarkable, the sounds they produce being very similar to the chirping 

 notes of the cricket or grasshopper. All frequent localities overgrown with grass or plants, and differ 

 as to their habits in many essential particulars from other members of the family. 



THE GRASSHOPPER WARBLER. 

 The Grasshopper Warbler (Locustella certhiola or L. Rayit) is from four inches and three- 

 quarters to five inches and a half long, and from seven and a half to eight broad ; the wing measures 

 two inches and a half, and the tail from one inch and five-sixths to two inches. Upon the upper 



