JS 551 



ACROCEPHALUS STENTOKIUS. -543 



the highlands in winter ; it probably extends into Northern Persia, as Mr. Blanford notices that De Filippi 

 gives an account (Viag. in Persia, p. 162) of a bird which he saw resembling this species. 



In Northern Africa it is an inhabitant of Egypt and Nubia. Mr. Allen, who gives an account of its breeding, 

 found it in a lake near Damietta, and speaks of it as being very rare ; subsequently Mr. E. C. Taylor and 

 Captain Shelley met with it in the same place. The latter author considers that it is resident in Egypt, as 

 he noticed a specimen as early as the 7th March in the Fayoom. 



Habits. — In Ceylon, as in other countries inhabited by it, this Warbler is only found in high reeds or 

 lofty rush-beds surrounding water, in the thickest parts of which vegetation it skulks, rarely showing itself 

 except during the breeding-season, when it becomes very noisy and restless, constantly flying up to the tops 

 of the tallest reed-stalks and there giving out its harsh warble. This commences with somewhat measured 

 notes and then breaks forth into quick and jerky variations. Its usual voice consists in nothing but a mono- 

 syllabic " chit," varied sometimes by a " churr " sound. There are few spots in any part of the island suitable 

 to its habits, as Ceylon is not at all prolific in reeds or any tall rushes, and to those which furnish it with 

 a good retreat it clings with an instinctive tenacity which is something quite remarkable. The tank which I 

 have mentioned above as being overgrown with enormous rushes in the dry season, abounded with these 

 Warblers in the month of June; shortly afterwards it was burnt by herdsmen for feed for their cattle, 

 leaving nothing but a few solitary clumps of reeds standing amidst the blackened waste. When I visited it no 

 sign of a Warbler was anywhere to be seen. Blue Coots and Waterhens were moping about at the edge of 

 the only remaining sheet of water, and a few of the handsome Water-Pheasants (Hydropliasianus chiruryus) 

 " scudded " along the lotus-leaves as I approached. None of these I wanted, and was about to turn my 

 back upon the wild scene when a flock of Weaver-birds (Ploceus) flew across the open and settled on one of 

 the reed-clumps, when immediately out sallied one of my looked-for Warblers and chirped defiance at the 

 strangers, which was the signal for further notes almost in every little oasis of vegetation. On my trying 

 to drive them out of their strongholds they retreated to the base of the reeds, and no amount of shouting or 

 stone-throwing, and in some cases of stamping even on the rushes, sufficed to flush them. It was only by 

 setting fire to the almost impenetrable cover that I succeeded in getting a shot. At Topare tank they were 

 constantly on the wing and very noisy, and I had ample opportunity of observing their animated movements, 

 although I could not get a shot at them. I found the food of the specimens I procured at various times to 

 consist of small flies and minute insects. 



Of its habits in India Jerdon writes : — " It frequents high grain-fields, to the stalks of which it clings, 

 and on being observed conceals itself among them. At Jaulnah I have seen it in my garden, hunting about 

 various low shrubs, peas, and beans, &c, among which, on being observed, it immediately withdrew, most 

 carefully hiding itself and being with difficulty driven from its place of refuge. I occasionally heard it utter 

 a harsh clucking note. I found its food to consist of small grasshoppers and ants/'' 



Mr. S. S. Allen (/. c.) thus describes meeting with it in Egypt : — " Shortly after entering the labyrinth of 

 tall reeds which covers the greater part of the lake, and is intersected by narrow lanes of water, along which 

 the flat-bottomed boat is poled, a curious harsh grating note burst out suddenly, with almost startling 

 abruptness, from the reeds a little distance ahead, and was answered by others in two or three different 

 directions. On questioning the Arabs who accompanied me, they replied that it was ' only a little bird/ 

 which I could scarcely believe at first ; but on watching the spot closely for a short time, we presently saw a 

 little sober-coloured bird, rather larger than a Nightingale, hopping in and out among the reeds, every now 

 and then making the air ring with his noisy song." 



Nidification. — This species breeds in Ceylon during June and July. Its nest was procured by me in 

 the former month at the Tamara-Kulam, and was a very interesting structure, built into the fork of one 

 of the tall seed-stalks of the rush growing there ; the walls rested exteriorly against three of the branches of 

 the fork, but were worked round some of the stems of the flower itself which sprung from the base of the 

 fork. It was composed of various fine grasses, with a few rush -blades among them, and was lined with the 

 fine stalks of the flower divested, by the bird I conclude, of the seed-matter growing on them. In form it 

 was a tolerably deep cup, well shaped, measuring 2\ inches in internal diameter by 2 in depth. The single 



