80 REED-WARBLER. 
summer limits of the Reed-Warbler in Europe; but below this line 
the bird has been found breeding in suitable localities down to the 
extreme south of Spain and Italy, and perhaps in Algeria. Large 
numbers pass the winter in the basin of the Mediterranean, whilst 
others go down to Central Africa. Eastward, it is found as far as 
the countries between Baluchistan and South-western Siberia. 
In the breeding-season the Reed-Warbler is by no means re- 
stricted to reeds, or even to the immediate proximity of water; and 
Mr. R. H. Mitford has given an account of the nesting of several 
pairs annually in lilac-trees in his garden at Hampstead. On the 
Thames and elsewhere the slender branches of willows and alders 
are frequently selected; the nest being often ten feet above the 
ground or water, and sometimes at a far greater elevation. Excep- 
tionally nests have been found in hedges fringing a river. Where 
reeds are abundant, as in the Eastern Counties, they are usually 
preferred ; and in every case the nest is supported by from two to 
four reeds or twigs, as the case may be, woven into the sides of the 
nest, which is so deep that the eggs will not roll out in the strongest 
wind. Begun when the reeds are quite short, the nest is often a 
full yard above the water by the time that the young birds are 
hatched. The materials employed are dry grasses and moss, with a 
little sheep’s-wool, feathers, and horsehair for a lining, but occasion- 
ally there is so much wool or flowering grass that the nest seems 
to be made of them. The 4-5 eggs are greenish-white, clouded, 
blotched or freckled with dark olive, ash-colour, and black: average 
measurements *72 by ‘53 in. The Cuckoo is partial to the nest of 
this Warbler, and I have more than once found two eggs of that 
parasitical bird in the same nursery. Incubation begins about May 
zand. During the summer the varied song of the Reed-Warbler 
may be heard at intervals during the day, except in windy weather ; 
but it is loudest and most attractive during the long twilight of 
evening. The food consists of aquatic insects—especially small 
dragon-flies—and their larve, spiders, slugs and worms, varied in 
the season by fruit and berries. 
The adult male has a pale buff streak over each eye ; upper parts 
brown, tinged with chestnut, especially on the rump; under parts 
white, turning to buff on the sides, thighs, and under tail-coverts. 
In autumn the chestnut and buff are more pronounced. Bill horn- 
brown above, yellowish-brown below ; legs and feet purplish-brown. 
Length 5°25 in. ; wing to end of 3rd and longest quill 2-5 in. The 
female, according to my experience, is decidedly less rufous during 
the breeding-season. The young are very tawny underneath. 
