BRITISH WARBLERS 



The greater part of the construction of the nest is the work of 

 the female. I have never seen a male sharing this duty with 

 her, but like the males of so many species he follows her 

 closely whilst she is engaged in searching for building material. 

 The nest is composed for the most part of pieces of reed which 

 the female herself breaks off, and these pieces are bound together 

 with pond weed or sheep's wool if it can be obtained close at 

 hand. In Texel, for instance, the bird flies out on to the 

 adjoining meadow r s in search of wool, and whilst on these 

 short excursions sometimes settles upon telegraph wires. 

 The nest is woven to about six upright stems of the reed, 

 and, so far as shape and structure are concerned, is very 

 similar to that of the Eeed Warbler, though considerably 

 larger. 



The song, which is loud and uttered frequently, resembles 

 to some extent the croaking of frogs. 



In April the bird can be seen searching for food amongst 

 the seed heads of the reeds, and in Hungary it is not 

 uncommonly found inside the eel nets, which are there hung 

 on the reeds to dry, evidently attracted by the aquatic insects 

 within. 



