IV The Marsh Warbler JJ 



of this, and have something to say of it later on. 

 For the present I will only add that not only the 

 outward appearance of the bird, but more especially 

 his attitude in singing, his sprightly and restless 

 habit, and above all the unique character of his 

 infinitely varied song, — in all of which characteristics 

 he agreed with all the descriptions of the Marsh 

 Warbler I had ever read, — convinced me that I had 

 here the bird I was looking for, — and so indeed it 

 turned out. I did not find his nest that year, which 

 would have made certainty doubly certain ; but I 

 returned to England knowing that I could never again 

 have any real doubt about the essential difference 

 between Eeed Warbler and Marsh Warbler, and 

 pretty confident that I should be able to tell them 

 apart in future, if at any rate they would but oblige 

 me with the sound of their voices. 



But two years were to pass before I was to see 

 my little friend again. That wonderful singer never 

 came again to the Botanic Garden ; and if he was 

 really a Marsh Warbler with an eccentric song, his 

 identity can never be proved. It was not till the 

 summer of 1891 that I was again able to visit the 

 Alps in the breeding season ; but when that pleasant 

 opportunity at last arrived, it brought with it a 

 complete solution of all my difficulties. Luckily 

 I had engaged as my travelling companion my 

 friend Mr. 0. V. Aplin, who had recently inserted 



