404 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



egg was hatched on July 3rd, and I think there was yet another 

 pair of birds in the osier-bed, but, owing to the tangle of under- 

 growth, I was no longer able to search effectively. In the autumn 

 of this year the osier-bed was sold, with the land around it. I at 

 once tried to interest the new owner in the birds, and he very 

 kindly consented to leave them some cover for next year's nest- 

 ing. But, as will be seen, from this time onwards the colony 

 began to find difficulties. 



1901. — The osiers had been cut in the winter, except at one 

 end, where sufficient cover had been left. This year I first heard 

 the song on June 1st, not in the usual place, but in the larger 

 osier-bed, where I had first heard it in 1892. Next day, however, 

 I heard it in the usual haunt. I was away at Lyme Eegis for 

 some time, engaged in a fruitless search for the Melodious 

 Warbler, but my friend Mr. Aplin, with the Earl of Gains- 

 borough, found a nest nearly finished on June 17th, which on 

 the 22nd contained four eggs, of a type which was new to me, 

 the dark spots and blotches being much less distinct than usual. 

 This nest, the only one found this year, was unluckily forsaken 

 by the birds. 



1902, May 31s£. — The bird singing in the usual place. The 

 osiers had been cut in the winter, all but a small patch, and on 

 June 22nd I found a nest with four eggs in an isolated patch of 

 withies. When I returned from fishing in Wales, in mid- July, 

 the young were still in the osiers, and continued there till the 

 25th. 



1903. — This year there was only a small patch of osiers left 

 standing, and the meadow-sweet, willow-herb, &c, were late in 

 growth ; so that the general appearance of the osier-bed must 

 have been decidedly discouraging. On June 1st, however, I 

 found and heard the bird as usual, and on the 21st I found a 

 nest with four eggs, in nettles for the first time. This nest was 

 well photographed in situ by my friend Mr. H. Gr. Maurice. The 

 young were hatched on the 25th. On July 2nd I heard a bird 

 singing vigorously on a hedge about one hundred and fifty yards 

 away. This seemed to indicate the presence of another pair 

 that had not found suitable accommodation in the osier-bed, and 

 careful watching confirmed this suspicion. The singing went on 

 in the hedge for some days, during which a pair of birds were 



