624 



its general habits it is eminently secretive, creeping about amongst the bushes and grass; and it 

 is scarcely possible for any one, except a person who is well acquainted with its habits, to catch 

 a glimpse of it; and the females, especially as they do not sing, are but seldom obtained. It flies 

 short distances with even flight and quick short flaps of the wings, always straight in one 

 direction, like a large sphinx moth, and never in a bow-shaped flight ; nor does it ever pick 

 up an insect when on the wing. When disturbed it never seeks safety in flight, but when 

 approached drops like a stone as if shot dead, often never moving its wings, down to the ground, 

 and creeps away in the grass: nor is it then possible to flush it again; for it seeks the densest 

 growth, and even with the help of a first-rate dog one can but ascertain which direction it has 

 taken. "When commencing its song, it begins not like most other songsters, who fly to some 

 elevated perch and pour forth their melody at once, but commences practising its song in a low 

 tone whilst hopping about on the ground, and then by degrees working its way up to some 

 elevated perch, utters its full cricket-like song from there. Its call-note is a low, harsh sound, 

 not unlike the prelude of its song. When singing, it erects the head until the upper mandible 

 is almost perpendicular, puffs out the feathers on the throat, and, opening its bill wide, vibrates 

 with the tongue metrically to the tune of its cicada-like song. There are two differently pitched 

 tones in the song — the one being probably uttered as the bird draws in its breath, and the 

 other as it expels it. Whilst uttering its song it moves the head from side to side, thus causing 

 its notes to be now stronger, now weaker; and it never sings whilst moving from one place to 

 another, but only when sitting quiet ; and when it moves or hops it leaves off singing." 



The eggs of this Warbler resemble those of Savi's Warbler very closely ; but the nest 

 appears to be somewhat different. Count Casimir Wodzicki, who has taken several nests, gives 

 (J. f. O. 1853, Extrah. p. 47) some excellent notes on its habits and nidification, from which I 

 extract the following details respecting the nest : — " Three nests I have examined all differ. 

 The first was found near a small alder-fringed brook, and of all three most nearly resembles 

 the nest of Savi's Warbler, being built of flags very carelessly put together and not at all 

 interwoven, and carefully lined with moss and fine rootlets ; round the nest there was a lot of 

 dry stuff, which though, properly speaking, it formed a portion of the structure, still the inner 

 nest could be taken away without disturbing it. The second nest, sent to me by Dr. Meckel, of 

 Vienna, is carelessly constructed of flags, grass, and willow leaves, carefully lined with grass- 

 roots ; and though the inner cup is small, the entire structure is so large that one would think 

 it belonged to a bird at least as big a Thrush. The third nest is small, built of fine grasses and 

 moss, and is likewise surrounded with a lot of leaves, &c. ; and the habit of thus surrounding the 

 nest as the Dipper does, appears to be peculiar to this Warbler. This nest was found in a dense 

 swampy wood, between the roots of a pine tree. The nest of this species differs more from that 

 of Savi's Warbler than its song does." The eggs, he says, differ considerably in form, but less 

 in coloration, and are sometimes rounded, sometimes elongated, but never pointed ; and usually 

 four or five is the number deposited. 



I am indebted to Mr. Taczanowski, of Warsaw, a most excellent field-naturalist, for some 

 good field-notes on this Warbler, which I translate as follows : — " Though tolerably common 

 in Poland, this Warbler is most difficult to observe, owing to its peculiarly secretive habits 

 and its habitat being in localities so difficult to penetrate. Marshy willow-beds, where the soil 



