86 SEDGE-WARBLER. 
the north, although sometimes unaccountably local. In winter it 
migrates as far as South Africa. 
While partial to the banks of streams, lakes and ponds, where 
rushes and osiers abound, the Sedge-Warbler is by no means 
restricted to such, or even to moist situations ; indeed it may often 
be found among copses and hedge-rows far from water. The 
nest is never suspended, like that of the Reed-Warbler, but is 
concealed among the lower branches of a shrub, or in the rank 
herbage by some stream or ditch, or even in a mossy hollow in the 
ground. Mr. A. H. Evans and I found one in the middle of a 
gooseberry bush in a garden by Hickling Broad; and Mr. M. 
Browne has recorded another which was placed quite ten feet up, at 
the top of a ‘bullfinch’ hedge, in Leicestershire. The foundation 
of moss is surmounted by grass and coarse bents, with a slight 
lining of horse-hair and seed-tufts of plants, and occasionally 
feathers. The 5-6 eggs are of a yellowish clay-colour, clouded or 
mottled with a brownish-shade, and often streaked and scrolled at 
the larger end with black hair-lines (much like those of the Yellow 
Wagtail): measurements ‘68 by ‘52 in. The young are hatched 
early in June. Aquatic insects and their larvee, small slugs and 
worms, form the principal food of the Sedge-Warbler; but in 
autumn, like its congeners, it appears to be partial to elder-berries. 
Its babbling notes, cheep, cheep, chissock cheep, are loud and merry, 
though somewhat harsh (for which reason the bird is known as the 
‘Chat’ on the Thames) ; while in the summer it sings day and night, 
being more often heard than seen; it is also a great imitator. 
The adult male in spring has the lores and ear-coverts brown, 
surmounted by a broad yellowish-white streak above each eye; 
crown streaked with dark brown on a paler ground, forming a sort 
of cap; neck, back and wing-coverts reddish-brown clouded with 
darker brown ; rump and tail-coverts tawny brown ; tail dark brown, 
with paler edges ; wings nearly the same; chin and throat white; 
breast and under parts buff; bill dark brown above, lighter below ; 
legs and feet pale brown. Length 5 in. ; wing to the end of the 3rd 
and slightly longest primary 2°5 in. ; the bastard primary being very 
small. The latter character serves to distinguish the Sedge-Warbler 
from the Moustached Warbler (A. melanopogon), which is found in 
the south of Europe, and is similar in general appearance, but has a 
long bastard primary. The female Sedge-Warbler is less rufous on 
the rump, and is generally of a duller brown than the male. The 
young are distinctly spotted with pale brown upon the throat and 
upper part of the breast. 
