WARBLER. 17 



herself to the reeds; as we have seen the nest made in the forks of a 

 water dock, or in a trifurcated branch of a shrub, near the water; 

 the eggs are usually four, of a dirty white, stained all over with dull 

 olive spots, chiefly at the larger end, with two or three small, irre- 

 gular black scratches. 



It appears to be not uncommon in the marshes about Erith, in 

 Kent, and in various other parts of the coasts of that county and 

 Sussex, from Sandwich to Arundel, especially Romney Marsh ; yet 

 in Wiltshire, and Somersetshire, though the Sedge Warbler, another 

 inhabitant of the reeds, is common, not a single Reed Wren is to be 

 found : it is also frequent about the River Coin, in Buckinghamshire, 

 in the Lincolnshire Fens, and no doubt other places where reeds grow. 

 It is very shy, and though the nest is frequently met with, the bird 

 is not often taken : it may be easily mistaken for the Sedge Bird, but 

 is quite a different Species, for on viewing the bill of the latter, it 

 will be found much broader, and it may be distinguished from this 

 character without further comparison : it generally appears here the 

 end of April, or beginning of May, and leaves us in September. 



It is certainly found in several parts of the Continent of Europe, 

 but has probably not been discriminated, from others inhabiting the 

 same spots ; it is not known to have any song. 



A. — Length five inches. Bill brown, three quarters of an inch 

 long, a few bristles at the base; irides hazel ; general colour olive ; 

 beneath white ; breast and sides yellowish ; legs ash-colour. 



This is found at Calcutta all the year, and lives on insects ; called 

 Ticktickee, from the noise it makes ; which resembles a lizard known 

 by this name, which is very common in the houses there, and called 

 Tickra, from its being in constant motion. It is the Ticktickee of the 

 Mussulmans ; Tickra of the Bengalese ; and Podena of Hindustan 

 Proper. — Dr. Buchanan. 



VOL. VII. D 



