28 THE GRASSHOPPER WARBLER 



which every one knows so well. Of this the Sedge Warbler had 

 caught exactly both the key and the time ; the two notes were in fact 

 identical, except that they were performed on instruments of different 

 calibre. Like other chatterers, who, when they have finished their 

 song, are easily provoked to begin again, the Sedge Warbler, if he 

 does occasionally retire to a bed of reeds and there holds his peace, 

 may be excited to repeat his whole story over again, with variations 

 and additions, by flinging a stone into his breathing-place. And 

 not content with babbling aU day, he extends his loquacity far 

 into the night ; hence he has been called the Sedge Nightingale, 

 but with doubtful propriety, for, with all the wUl perhaps to vie 

 with that prince of songsters, the zinzinare of the Nightingale is 

 far beyond his powers. Yet in spite of his obtrusiveness, he is an 

 amusing and a pleasant companion to the wanderer by the river's 

 side : his rivalry is devoid of malice, and his mimicry gives no one 

 pain. While at rest — ^if he is ever to be detected in this state — ^he 

 may be distinguished from all other birds frequenting similar haunts 

 by his rounded taU, and a light narrow mark over each eye. His 

 food consists of worms, insects, and freshwater moUusks, for which 

 he hunts among the stems of aquatic plants. As an architect, he 

 displays great skill, constructing his nest among low bushes, never 

 at any great distance from the water, about a foot from the ground. 

 It is composed of stems and leaves of dead grass, moss and fine 

 roots, and lined with hair, wool, feathers, and the down of various 

 marsh plants. The structure is large, compact, and deep, suspended 

 from, rather than built on, its supports. The eggs are usually five 

 or six in number, though as many as seven have been sometimes 

 found. 



THE GRASSHOPPER WARBLER 



LOCUSTELLA N^VIA 



Upper parts light brown, with a tinge of green, and presenting a spotted 

 appearance, owing to the centres of the feathers being darkest ; tail long, 

 rounded at the extremity and tapering towards the base ; under parts 

 whitish brown, the breast marked with darker spots ; feet and toes light 

 brown. Length five and a half inches ; breadth seven and a half. Eggs 

 reddish white, closely speckled with darker red. 



As long ago as the time when a stroll of five-and-twenty miles 

 fatigued me less than a journey of ten does now — when I returned 

 from my botanical rambles with tin boxes, hands and pockets, 

 laden with stores of flowers, ferns, and mosses, my homeward path 

 often led me through a certain valley and wood on the skirts of 

 Dartmoor, known by the names of Bickleigh Vale and Fancy 

 Wood. It often happened that twilight was fading into gloom 

 when I reached this stage in my wanderings — the last of the even- 

 ing songsters had hushed its note ; for this county, beautiful as it 



