GREAT REED-WARBLER. 365 



largest in my collection measures 1"0 by '"inch, and the smallest "8 by 

 •63 inch. 



My friend Captain Verner has sent me the following notes on the habits 

 of this bird: — "On May llth^ 1875^ I observed many Great Reed- 

 Warblers amongst the tall reed-beds in a Laguna in Southern Andalusia. 

 They were flying about in a restless manner^ now and then alighting on 

 the reeds and singing loudly. By taking advantage of the cover afforded 

 by the patches of reeds I was enabled to wade to within three or four 

 yards of single birds, and watch them closely. They varied their song 

 with a chattering note, much like our Sedge-Warbler's, but more noisy. 

 On being disturbed they darted off with a strong and bold flight, doubling 

 the corner of the nearest reed-bed, and settled again to recommence their 

 song with fresh vigour. Although I hunted diligently for some hours, 

 at times up to my waist in water, and amongst reeds some six feet in 

 height, I only succeeded in finding two unfinished nests. They were 

 suspended between the stems of the reeds in a similar manner to the 

 common Reed-Warbler's." 



The Great Reed-Warbler bears some superficial resemblance to a 

 Thrush ; but its slender shape, minute bastard primary, rounded tail, and 

 scutellated tarsus, to say nothing of its double moult and unspotted young, 

 ought to have prevented it from being confounded with the Thrushes, 

 even by cabinet naturalists who were unacquainted with its Acrocephahne 

 song and nest. The general colour of the upper parts is olive-brown, 

 suflrused with rufous-brown on the rump, tail, and wings. The under- 

 parts are pale rufous-brown, shading into nearly white on the chin, throat, 

 and the centre of the belly. In the bill the upper mandible is dark brown, 

 and the under mandible pale brown. The irides are brown, and the legs 

 pale horn-colour. In the autumn plumage the brown of both the upper 

 and underparts is more rufous than in spring ; but much of this rufous 

 shade is lost by abrasion both in winter and summer. Birds of the year 

 occasionally show traces of streaks on the breast. 



The Great Reed- Warbler has several very near allies, with which it has 

 often been confounded. It is, however, slightly larger than any of them, 

 has a somewhat more pointed wing, and decidedly paler legs. Its nearest 

 ally is the Chinese Great Reed- Warbler (A. orientalis), which breeds in 

 the valley of the Amoor, North China, and Japan, and winters in the 

 Burma peninsula and the islands of the Malay archipelago. The Indian 

 Great Reed- War bier (A. stentoreus) has a still more rounded wing and 

 a somewhat longer bill and tail. It is much moi'e restricted in its migra- 

 tions, and appears to be a resident in Egypt and Ceylon. In the inter- 

 vening country, Persia, Turkestan, and the Himalayas, it is partially 

 migratory, breeding in the highlands and wintering in the plains. Two 



