THE MARSH WARBLER. 95 



trees in his garden at Hampstead, and which at 

 the time was thought to differ specifically from 

 S. strepera, and possibly to be S.pahistris. In 

 the summer of 1863 Mr. Mitford had found four 

 pairs of this bird breeding in gardens under 

 similar circumstances, and in July, 1865, he shot 

 two of the same birds, both males, and found, 

 as he says, " two nests similar in structure, and 

 similarly situated to those of the previous year 

 in my garden, from both of which the young 

 had evidently flown only a few days previously. 

 The birds were not in good order, but just 

 beginning their moult. I so arranged the 

 matter that at the time I shot these birds I 

 received from Romney Marsh fresh-killed spe- 

 cimens of the true Reed Warbler, shot in the 

 reeds of the fen ditches ; and in comparing the 

 two birds in the flesh together, I have little 

 hesitation in saying that the inland warbler is 

 not our Reed Warbler. I will not enter into 

 the chief points of difference at present, as I 

 hope next May to get a specimen or two in finer 

 plumage." ("Zoologist," 1865, p. 9847.) 



