THE SPECIES. 77 



streak down the middle of the crown, is one of our very occasional spring and summer 

 visitors. The female has much the same plumage as the male. The eggs are either four 

 or five in number, but the nest Has not yet been found in this country. 



The Sedge Warbler — Dimensions, Ap ; Eggs, Ba — comes amongst us every spring to 

 breed, and remains with us till September. Its flight is hardly worthy of the name, for it 

 rarely flies, as it contents itself with skulking amongst the rushes and undergrowth. Indeed, 

 it is curious how a bird with so poor a flight can cross the English Channel. Its note is a 

 vehement " cheep " or a " churr " — as if it had a brogue in it. The female is much duller 

 in colour than the male. The nest is never suspended, and it is never found among reeds, 

 and rarely among sedges, but it is built close to the ground, or even on the ground, among 

 bushes and osiers. It is composed of moss and coarse grass, lined with horsehair, reed tufts, 

 and dry grass. The eggs are either five or six in number. 



The Reed Warbler— Dimensions, Bp ; Eggs, Bd — is not only longer but slimmer than the ; 

 Sedge Warbler. It also comes about April and leaves in September, and has a skulking sort '-'"' 

 of flight, now and then just clearing the reed tops and vanishing into them. Its note is a 

 sort of whistle, a kind of "choh-choh " in variations, which is heard at its best long after 

 sunset. The female is of a paler brown than the male. The nest is the deep one, builc over 

 the water on two or three reed stems, which carry it up with them as they grow. It is 

 compactly built of reeds and dry grass, moss, wool, feathers, and horsehair ; and sometimes 

 it is attached to willows or alders, but it nearly always hangs over water, and contains four 

 or five eggs. 



The Marsh Warbler — Dimensions, Bq ; Eggs, Ca — is a somewhat rare visitor reported 

 every summer, chiefly from the West of England. Its flight is a trifle bolder than that of 

 the Reed Warbler, but it is marked with the same eagerness to get out of sight as soon as 

 possible, Occasionally it can be seen singing on the top of a low willow. It sings by night 

 as well as by day, and its note, syllabised by an admirer as "chiddy, chiddy, chiddy, chit, 

 chit, cha, cha, cha, chit, chit," is said to be ''varied and melodious, like a nightingale's, but 

 not so loud." The female is of a very retiring disposition. The nest is never over water, but 

 generally, though not always, near it. As a rule it is found among osier beds, and is built of 

 leaves, round grass, and moss, felted with cobweb and seed down, and lined with horsehair. 

 It is quite as deep as that of the Reed Warbler, and contains five, six, or seven eggs. 



The Great Reed Warbler — Dimensions, Gn ; Eggs, Ep — is more often talked about than 

 ■seen. He is a very rare summer visitor, and his flight is of the timid, skulking kind, 

 avoiding observation as much as possible, though his occasional captures of insects on the 

 wing show what he could do if he tried. His note is loud and unmusical; a series of 

 monotonous variations on "karry-charry-karry," with a croak as an alarm. The female is 

 about half an inch shorter than the male. The nest is suspended from two or three reeds, 

 but is never over water though often over mud. It is a deep cup made of reeds, leaves, 

 and flowering scapes, and contains from four to six eggs ; but it is very rarely met with. 



Aedon. Plate iii. TURDINM (Passerids). 



37. galaciodes, 6| in. Rufous Warbler. Chestnut above ; wliitish 



below ; white eye stripe ; two central tail feathers 



tipped with black, others tipped with white. -ji <j^ 



The Rufous Warbler — Dimensions, Ep ; Eggs, Er — is a rare accidental straggler which 



has been found here some three times since 1854. It is well-known round the Mediterranean, 



and gets as far south as Abyssinia. Its flight in this country is not on record, owing, 



probably, to its being cut short by the sportsman in his eagerness to make the bird British. 



The female is paler than the male. 



^gialitis. Plate xxvi. CHARADRIIDM. 



298. curo?iicus, 6 in. Little Ringed Plover. Broad black ring on 



white chest ; white on first primary of wing ; 

 scapulars same colour as back ; outer tail feathers 

 a quarter of an inch shorter than middle ones ; legs 

 yellow. 



299. cantiatiuSf 6\ in. Kentish Plover, White nape joining white 



throat , black ring on chest not meeting in front ; 

 legs black. 

 297, hiaticula. 7 in. Ringed Plover. Broad black ring on white 

 chest ; white bar across wing ; white below ; legs 

 orange. 



300. vociferus, 10 in. Killdeer .Plover. Two narrow black rings on 



chest; lowei back and rump chestnut buff ; legs 

 grey. 

 The Little Ringed Plover— Dimensions, Ds; Eggs Hd— has been recorded about half 



