The Reed-Warbler. 109 



approach, the nest of the Marsh- Warbler in character, as also do the eggs in one 

 of them ; in both the latter instances, the hazels were growing close to water. The 

 nest of this bird is most frequently suspended in reeds ; sometimes the attachment 

 is firm, sometimes loose ; the latter arrangement is adopted and the nest fastened 

 above a leaf when the level of the water shows greater variation during the day ; 

 thus, when the water rises it raises the nest, which is built with an unusually 

 thick base, above the projecting leaves : this I have proved to be the case on 

 more than one occasion, and hence Swaysland's belief that the nests in the Brighton 

 dykes were constructed with this object has some justification, although in the 

 particular specimens which Mr. Seebohm examined most had a leaf projecting 

 close to the nest, both immediately above and below it on one or other of the 

 reeds, which would make any movement of the kind impossible. From two to 

 four reeds are employed for the suspension of the nest, the most frequent number 

 being three. 



I shall not easily forget my first experience in taking the nest of the Reed- 

 Warbler : I had heard that the species was numerously represented among the 

 reeds which grow in abundance at Tong Mill in the village of Tong, near Sitting- 

 bourne. The mill and the adjoining plantation were at that time the property of 

 a Mr. Arthur Bennett, a large-hearted man who took an interest in Natural 

 History, so that I had no difficulty in obtaining permission to search for birds' 

 nests wherever I pleased. 



When I approached the stream I could hear the Reed- Warblers in every 

 direction, but could only catch a glimpse of them from time to time as they 

 emerged for a moment from the densely clustered leaves. The reeds grew most 

 thickly near to the house; but at this point the stream was very wide, and the 

 birds appeared to be chiefly in mid-stream ; so that I was at a loss to know how 

 I should reach their nests which I knew must be built at the time, although none 

 were visible from the bank. 



Mr. Bennett now came to the rescue with a long ladder, which he dropped 

 across the reed-bed, the foot remaining upon the bank, and the top floating upon 

 the water, and partly supported by the broken down plants. Upon this, grasping 

 bundles of reeds on either side, I was able to walk out for some distance, looking 

 right and left for nests as I went ; and, at the first essay I caught sight of a nest 

 about six feet away to the left. 



Walking out on the rungs of a ladder, and depending for one's balance upon 

 flexible stems, whilst with every step the water rises an inch or two higher over 

 one's boots, is not the most enviable pastime ; although the slight discomfort is 

 more than atoned for, by the sight of a first nest of a species not hitherto met 



Vol. I jj 



