616 



movement, somewhat like that of the Hedge-Chanter (Accentor modularis), although in activity 

 it far surpasses that bird. In fact, it is continually in motion ; and so much does it trust to its 

 powers of concealment for protection, that I have several times in walking slowly along a narrow 

 lane driven the bird along for some distance, all the while emitting its note, and keeping only a 

 few yards in advance, yet so well hidden that it was only at intervals that a glimpse could be got 

 of the tiny creature, which I would now and then observe on the opposite side of the hedge. 

 Almost the only time that I saw it fairly on wing was under the following circumstances : — In 

 one of the beautiful lanes near Costessay a large Dragonfly (Libellula depressa) had alighted on 

 a hedge, when, as I was stealing up to capture it, a Grasshopper Chirper flew from the opposite 

 hedge, about twelve feet distant, and pounced upon the insect, which, however, managed to 

 escape, although only to be presently caught by its other pursuer. It could not have been for 

 the purpose of destroying so large an insect for food that the bird made this attack ; and yet I 

 have seen on the Braid Hills a still larger Dragonfly (JEshina grandis) pursued in like manner by 

 a Pipit (Anthus pratensis), which made several pounces at it, but without effect." 



Mr. C. Fickert, who kept the present species in confinement, says (J. f. O. 1870, p. 439) 

 that his bird often had a drop of clear crystal-like fluid at the tip of its beak, which he took 

 for a drop of water, but more careful observation showed that it was nothing more or less than 

 spittle, probably an excess of fluid spittle, which he believes is a necessity owing to the extremely 

 prolonged note of the bird; and he further remarks that he once counted 127 successive notes, 

 without intermission, uttered by one of these birds. 



The Grasshopper Warbler places its nest on the ground, carefully concealed in the grass 

 and herbage or amidst tangled brushwood. The nest is cup-shaped, carefully and strongly con- 

 structed of grass bents intermixed with moss and, in some nests, a few leaves, and lined with 

 finer bents. The eggs, usually five or six, but rarely seven in number, are white, with a rosy 

 tinge, minutely spotted with reddish brown, the markings being in some dispersed over the 

 surface of the shell, and in others collected at, or in a ring round the larger end. In size they 

 vary from £$ by J inch to f § by f$ inch. 



The specimens figured are the adult male and young bird described, and are in my 

 collection. 



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



E Mus. E. E. Dresser, 

 n, d, b, $. Gateshead, England, June 10th, 1871 (A. W. Johnson), c. Europe {Troughton). d, d . Saxony, 

 May 1870 (W. Schluter). e, pull., f, pull. Gateshead, England, June 12th, 1871 {A. W. Johnson). 



E Mus. Howard Saunders, 

 a, d, b, $. From nest, near Newcastle, May 1866 (R. Greenwell). c, d. Pomerania, July, d, 2. Malaga, 

 October 16th. e, d. Malaga, October 24th. e,juv. Malaga, November 9th. /, ad. Granada. 



E Mus. Salvin and Godman. 

 a. Middlesex, 1855. b, ? , c, ? , d, d . Wicken Fen, Cambridgeshire, 1856 (P. Godman) . e. Cambridgeshire, 

 June 1856 (Baker). f,d,g,d. Wicken Fen, June and July 1856 (0. Salvin). 



