92 
SYLVIADE. 
warbler. Neither is his voice in its better portions so clear 
and flute-like as the nightingale’s. 
The nests of the Reed Warbler have frequently come 
under our observation, and we have taken many of them. 
These we have always found in low willows or osiers growing 
in the water, sometimes in the bed of the river, sometimes 
near the shore, but always so surrounded by water as to 
be rarely reached by the hand without the assistance of a 
boat. The nests we have taken have all been suspended 
among the forked branches of the shrub, not resting upon 
the junction of the shoots, like the nests of most other birds, 
but elevated above the part from which the upright supporters 
spring. The nest has a singular appearance, being generally 
composed of very thin thread-like materials ; and when the 
branch-has been some time cut down, and the leaves have 
fallen off, the whole, to use a very homely comparison, has 
the appearance of a stocking in the process of knitting, 
hanging among its many pins. We have never found speci¬ 
mens of the nest of this bird suspended among reeds, but 
cannot deny that such situations are sometimes chosen. The 
eggs of this bird, represented in our plate (fig. 63) are round¬ 
ish in form, and usually of the colour there indicated ; but 
are sometimes to be found paler and of smaller size : we have 
never found more than three or four in a nest. 
The materials composing the nest are long, fine grasses, 
delicate fibrous roots, the flowering tops of reeds, and the 
long, red, clinging stalks that we believe to be the remains 
of green moss. The outer portion of the nest is triangular 
or quadrangular, according to the number of stems upon 
which it hangs ; but the inside is finished in a round form, 
and neatly lined with fine grass. Spider-webs and swan’s- 
down are often intermixed. The nest, when complete, is 
nearly three inches deep within, and five or six without. 
The young birds of this species are hatched in July; on 
