THE MARSH WARBLER. 



most wonderful programme of feathered 

 music I have ever heard. As a mimic, 

 the Marsh Warbler is unsurpassable. 



Several times the specimen I listened 

 to began his concert with the alarm cry 

 of a Song Thrush, so loud and accurately 

 rendered that I was completely deceived 

 into thinking that I was listening to the 

 notes of a disturbed member of that 

 species. After a little pause he would 

 reproduce the warbling notes of a Swal- 

 low, then the tut, tut, tut of a Blackbird, 

 followed by the full, rich notes of the 

 Nightingale. He could also reproduce 

 the call note of a Common Partridge, 

 and the sweet little song of a Linnet with 

 equal fidelity. He always appeared to 

 take great care not to mix his music, 

 for, after finishing one piece, there was a 

 noticeable pause before the commence- 

 ment of another. 



In the case of another pair of birds, 

 that had been robbed, I noticed that the 

 male sang much upon the wing as he 

 flew back and forth from tree to tree 

 across an osier-grown clay pit. 



This species was first discovered in 

 Somersetshire, and has been found breed- 

 ing in Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, and 

 Cambridge. 



'71 



