128 British Birds, with their Nests and Eggs. 



night, he first heard the bird " noising " about nine o'clock in the evening, on the 

 6th of June, and observed it from his boat running up and down the dead reed 

 stems, from the tops of which it kept calling at intervals until two in the morning. 

 He then returned home, but at six o'clock he again found it in the clump of 

 reeds, though more restless and calling incessantly. Soon after this the wind 

 began to stir the reeds, and it then dropped down and remained silent among the 

 thick sedges. Up to this time he had imagined it to be a Grasshopper Warbler, 

 although the note seemed unusually loud and clear, and like them it kept moving 

 its head from side to side whilst singing. On the following evening, at eight 

 o'clock, the bird was still in the same place calling as before, and as one or two 

 of the Grasshopper Warblers were singing at the same time, he distinguished at 

 once a difference in their notes. As soon as he had shot the bird, he saw that 

 it was different to any he had handled before, and observing that it remained so 

 long in one spot, made every search for a nest, but could find no trace of one. 

 About ten years ago, he assures me there were several couple of birds on the 

 broad with similar notes, and he then found a nest with eggs, which, from his 

 description, might be either that of Savi's or of the Grasshopper Warbler. About 

 the first week in May of the following year, a bird, agreeing exactly in note and 

 appearance with the above, was also seen by this marsh-man in a small sallow 

 bush; not having his gun with him, he watched it for some time, and had no 

 doubt of its identity." 



The above account describes the habits of this species very accurately, as may 

 be seen when it is compared with the accounts of other observers. The song is 

 a monotonous trill, higher in pitch than that of the Grasshopper Warbler; it is 

 usually sung from the top of a reed : the call-note is said to be krr. 



The nest is placed upon a heap of tangled sedge leaves, and is carefully 

 concealed in sedges, reeds, or rush ; it is composed of interwoven leaves of broad 

 grass or sedge, with narrower leaves for a lining; it is very neatly made, unusu- 

 ally deep, and is said to resemble a miniature nest of the Little Crake. The eggs, 

 four to six in number, are white or pale-buff, speckled with ashy brown surface 

 spots, and violet-grey shell spots; the markings are most numerous at the larger 

 end, where they frequently form a zone; dark hair-like Bunting lines are also 

 sometimes present. 



Although this species is naturally of a skulking disposition, and, when alarmed, 

 drops down into the sedges for concealment. Count Wodzicki states that "both male 

 and female sit on the nest, and allow themselves to be Avatched without leaving 

 it. If frightened off, they soon return." The nest appears to be built by the male 

 bird, although both sexes collect the materials. 



