The Grasshopper Warbler. 123 



1856, when these birds appeared here in unprecedented numbers, another species 

 from Eastern Asia was taken — viz. Sylvia certhiola. Again, during September 1876, 

 when several individuals of 5. aquatica were seen and shot here, a very strong 

 migration of eastern species took place. Thus, on the 4th, 6th, and 15th, and 

 daily from the last date to the end of the month, Anthus richardi occurred in 

 numbers from five to twenty; on the 22nd two examples of Anthus cervinus and 

 one of Motacilla citreola ; on the 25th two examples of 5. aquatica were shot, and one 

 example each daj- of 5. superciliosa on the 26th, 29th, and 30th. Similar occur- 

 rences were repeated in the course of October." 



Herr Mathias Rausch, in his article on European Song-birds, mentions this 

 species with others, as " not prominent as singers, and for that reason not particu- 

 larly beloved and in demand as cage-birds." At the same time, it must be 

 remembered that numbers of little tropical birds, in no respect remarkable for 

 song, and certainly no more beautiful in colouring than the Aquatic Warbler, are 

 to be found in almost all bird-rooms : moreover somewhat high prices are paid 

 for the species of White-eyes (ZosteropsJ and their only recommendations are their 

 pretty quiet colouring and graceful activity. 



Family— TURDID^. Subfamily— S YL VIIN^. 



The Grasshopper Warbler. 



Locustella ncevia, Bodd. 



NOWHERE common, though in suitable localities not so rare as its shy 

 disposition would lead one to imagine, this species appears to be generally 

 distributed over Western Europe, and eastward as far as Transylvania, and South- 

 western Russia; northwards its range extends to St. Petersburg. In Italy it is 



