596 



6 



and most of the eggs have a dark ring round the end, which is wanting in those of the other 

 species ; and the surface of the shell is smooth, though not glossy. The shell is fragile and 

 thin; and the form is short oval, frequently pointed towards one end and blunt at the other, 

 'i'he ground-colour is a green-yellowish white, which is clouded by numerous markings of a pale 

 yellowish olive-brown colour, which are confluent (forming a ring) round the larger end, darkest 

 in the central part ; all the markings are dull and blurred, and in some specimens quite pale ; 

 and in these the ring is frequently wanting. The eggs vary considerably; and I possess one 

 which has the ring round the smaller instead of the larger end. There are always a few fine 

 black spots or scratches on these eggs." I only possess a few eggs of the Aquatic Warbler 

 which agree with those above described by Naumann, and most nearly resemble the eggs of the 

 Sedge-Warbler. 



Mr. Benzon, who has found it breeding in Denmark, writes to me as follows: — "In 1867 I 

 had a small country place at Charlottenlund, about four English miles from Copenhagen; and a 

 pair of Aquatic Warblers frequented my garden the whole summer, and built close to it. When 

 the young birds were hatched the whole family might be seen daily, either in the garden or in a 

 liitle bit of reed-covered marsh not far off, and I was frequently able to show them to my 

 ornithological friends. The eggs are smaller, and, as a rule, more sparingly and less boldly 

 marked than those of the Sedge- Warbler, which they otherwise resemble. Those I possess 

 measure 15-5 by 12 to 1G by 12*5 millimetres." 



The specimens figured are an adult and a young bird from the Ural, and are those above 

 figured. 



In the preparation of the above article I have examined the following specimens: — 



E Mus. H. E. Dresser. 



a, ^ ad. Central Germany [Gardiner), b, 6 ad. Karabolska, S.E. Ural, July 24tli, 1872 [W. Meves). c, 6 ad. 

 Metlino, S.E. Ural, July 28th, 1872 [W. M.). d, 2juv. Metlino, July 30th, 1872 [W. M.). 



E Mus. Howard Saunders. 



a, h, 6 ,c,d,%. Malaga, September 11th, 1871. e, d ,f. Malaga, September 23rd, 1873. g, h, J . Malaga, 

 September 2Gth. i, <J . Malaga, October 10th, 1874. j, <S . Ural, July 24th [Meves). 



