296 SYLVIADA. 
habits, plumage, and nest of this species, which, he found 
frequented the reeds of the river Coln from Harefield Moor 
to Iver, a distance of about five miles. This bird did not 
appear in Pennant’s Zoology till the edition of 1812. 
The Reed Warbler comes to this country in April, and 
departs again in September ; and is in its habits and man- 
ners, as well as in the localities it frequents, so similar to 
the Sedge Warbler, that wherever one species is found, 
the other is almost certain to be within a short distance ; 
and the birds themselves, from a certain resemblance in 
appearance, have been frequently confounded: the Reed 
Warbler, however, is not so abundant as a species, and the 
distinctions by which it may be always known will be 
particularly referred to hereafter. Like its aquatic con- 
geners already figured, the Reed Warbler takes care to 
secrete itself under cover of the bed of reeds or willows it 
may chance to inhabit; it sings repeatedly in the day, 
and sometimes also occasionally during the night. Mr. 
Selby says its song is varied and pleasing, with fewer of 
the harsh notes that prevail in that of the Sedge Warbler, 
but is delivered in the same hurried manner. Mr. Sweet, 
well known for his skill and success in keeping the British 
Warblers in confinement, says he had a male bird of this 
species that sung occasionally all winter. The song was 
very loud and variable, consisting of a great number of 
notes, and sung with many changes of voice, so diversified 
as to resemble the song of several different birds. The food 
of this species in a wild state is very similar to that of the 
Sedge Warbler, — namely, worms, slugs, various aquatic 
insects, and the smaller species of dragon-flies. Libellule. 
The nest of this bird is very singularly constructed and 
sustamed. That from which the vignette at the end of 
this subject was drawn, was supported between four reed 
