LOCUSTELLA. 339 



retains them. The recognition of such nearly allied groups of birds as 

 genera or suVjgenera is a purely arbitrary proceeding. I regret that the 

 genus Locustella has been so largely used by modern ornithologists ; but 

 it certainly is the most clearly defined of the allied subgenera, and its 

 adoption is perhaps the course which makes the least change in the gene- 

 rally accepted nomenclature. The genus Acrocephalus was divided by 

 Kaup in 1829, in that eccentric book of his, ' Natiirliches System der 

 Europaischen Thierwelt,' into five genera, of which Locustella was de- 

 scribed at page 115, the Grasshopper Warbler being designated as the 

 type. 



The Grasshopper "Warblers comprise a small but well defined group of 

 birds nearly allied to the Reed- Warblers [Acrocejjhalus) , agreeing with 

 them in having twelve tail-feathers, and the bastard primary so minute as 

 rarely to extend beyond the primary-coverts, but differing in having a 

 more rounded tail and nearly obsolete rictal bristles. The outside tail- 

 feathers are shorter than the under tail-coverts, except in one instance ; 

 but in no case are they more than three fourths the length of the longest. 

 The bill is long and slender, as in the Calamodine group of Acrocephali, 

 which many of the species further resemble in having the upper parts 

 spotted. The predominant colours are russet-brown and olive-brown. 



The Grasshopper Warblers frequent marshy districts, dense thickets 

 near water, reed-beds, and the luxuriant vegetation on the banks of 

 streams. Their nests are usually built amongst rank vegetation on or 

 near the ground ; and their eggs are from four to seven in number. So far 

 as is known, all the species have the continuous monotonous note which 

 can scarcely be called a song, and which has given them the name of 

 " Grasshopper" Warblers. 



Three of the species breed in Central Europe and winter in North 

 Africa. A fourth breeds in Turkestan and West Siberia and winters in 

 India. Three others breed in East Siberia and winter in the islands of 

 the Malay archipelago ; and one of them is said to visit Eastern Europe 

 accidentally on migration, and has occurred during the breeding-season 

 near St. Petersburg. Two species are British, one of which is a regular 

 summer visitant to our islands ; but the other, although formerly a regular 

 summer migrant, is now probably extinct or only breeds very sparingly. 





