224 ON SAVI'S WARBLER. 



reeds. It is never seen sitting quiet; in spring-time it often flies into the 

 air, roves about, and throws itself down again, with the wings folded back- 

 wards, like the Hedge-Sparrow, but without singing. I often saw it, like 

 Parus biarmicus, moving on the stalk of a reed from below to the top. Much 

 more confident than S.Jluviatilis, it is also more curious. Hearing a noise it 

 flies from the ground, sits down on the reed, and looks astonished at the dog 

 or the hunter. With quiet dogs it is easily induced to stir ; and then it can 

 be shot on the wing. 



C luscinioides and P. biarmicus have this in common with the Crossbills, 

 that in some years very few of them come to breed, in others indefinitely 

 large numbers. Last year only two pairs bred, whereas this year there are 

 hundreds. It is just the contrary with S. Jluviatilis ; last season they 

 occurred frequently, in this only rarely in the same localities. 



Calamoherpe luscinioides is further distinguished by its temper. It 

 is extremely passionate, eager for combat. In the breeding-time male and 

 female, or rivals, pursue each other close to the feet of the observer, even 

 after a shot ; they even make their reeling noise while in danger. Male and 

 female sit so steadily on the nest that they can be looked at very well ; 

 frightened away, they return immediately wdthout constraint, either on the 

 wing or hopping from branch to branch up to the nest. They leave in the 

 same way, but seldom on foot, as is the custom of S. Jluviatilis ; this is only 

 done when the nest is near the ground. 



The nest is in the old high reeds, in the midst of the dense grass, only 

 exceptionally in the high grass or on a grass-tuft. Without being inter- 

 woven it rests firm, on broken reeds, commonly six inches above the level 

 of the water, sometimes also two or three feet ; and it is very well concealed. 

 If one sees the small bird, and on the other hand the rough material of the 



