88 AQUATIC WARBLER. 
streak down the middle of the crown in the Aquatic Warbler is 
an unfailing mark of distinction’ between this species and the 
Sedge-Warbler. 
The Aquatic Warbler seldom visits Heligoland ; though it breeds 
sparingly in the southern part of Denmark, Schleswig-Holstein, and 
on the southern side of the Baltic. In Holland and Belgium it is 
of rare occurrence; but in France it is found annually in the 
departments of Somme and Nord. In the Brenne and beyond the 
Loire it arrives about the third week in April to breed ; while further 
south, in the Camargue and similar marshy districts, it is not 
uncommon. Eastward, it is fairly distributed throughout Germany, 
becoming abundant in Silesia as well as in some parts of Poland, 
and only less so in Austria-Hungary. It breeds in many parts of 
Italy, Sicily and Sardinia; but in the Spanish Peninsula I have 
obtained it only in September. In North Africa it is probably 
resident. In the eastern portion of the basin of the Mediterranean 
it appears to be merely a migrant or a winter-visitor; and the 
marshes of the Southern Ural form its boundary in that direction. 
According to Naumann, the nest is placed in more open localities 
than that of the Sedge-Warbler, and generally about a foot from the 
ground, in a bunch of sedge, or amongst dwarf willow-growth, but 
never among reeds overhanging the water. It is similar to that of 
the Sedge-Warbler, and the eggs, 4-5 in number, are slightly less 
yellow in their ground-colour than those of that bird: measurements 
65 by *51 in. Breeding commences in the middle of May. In its 
habits this species is remarkably shy, concealing itself on the 
least alarm and running like a mouse along a branch or on the 
ground. Its food consists of insects. The song, uttered from the 
end of April to July, is shorter and less varied than that of the 
Sedge-Warbler. 
In the adult the forehead is rufous-buff ; the lores and ear-coverts 
are pale brown, surmounted by a buff stripe over and behind each 
eye ; above this, on each side, is a broad blackish stripe, followed 
by a conspicuous buff streak along the middle of the crown; nape 
and back tawny-brown striped with black; rump rufous-brown, 
with black streaks; tail-feathers brown, darker along the shafts ; 
under parts yellowish-buff, darker on the flanks, which, with the neck 
and throat, are more or less striated ; bill brown above, yellowish 
below ; legs and feet yellowish-brown. In the autumn the buff tint 
becomes more intense. Length 4'9 in. ; wing to the tip of the 3rd 
and longest primary 2°4 in., the bastard quill being very small. 
