GRASSHOPPER- WARBLER 



their ordinary lives appear almost commonplace. Listening 

 during these few days at daybreak to the song of the males, 

 it is quite possible to tell whether any females have arrived 

 during the night ; at such times it is intermittent, but very 

 vigorous while it lasts — a pause, then a short trill, a longer 

 pause and a longer trill, and so on, according to the time 

 the male is able to tear himself away from the attractions 

 of the female. She, meanwhile, walks or runs — as a rule 

 it is more of a sedate walk — amongst the dense under- 

 growth, at times threading her way through the branches 

 of some small bush, occasionally pecking, or pretending 

 to peck, at something as she passes, with an air of com- 

 plete indifference to the attractions of her lover, never even 

 pausing to look behind. He, however, sometimes leaves 

 her either to sing, or with quick darting flight to chase 

 away another male, who, in his opinion, has approached too 

 closely, or for a more lengthened period, possibly to annoy 

 other males engaged in the same task as himself. But she 

 is immediately aware of his desertion, and if too long away 

 becomes impatient, stops her aimless wandering in the under- 

 growth, flies to a low branch in some bush, assumes an air 

 of anxiety, and commences to call vigorously till he returns, 

 using as her call-note a single " tic," sometimes the " tic tic 

 tac." The positions assumed by the male when following her 

 — sometimes he walks, sometimes runs along the branches or 

 on the ground — are very beautiful. The tail is spread out and 

 either raised or lowered, the wings fully extended and slowly 

 flapping up and down, the feathers on the back and head 

 are raised, those on the body thrown out, and the throat dis- 

 tended. The effect as he walks along some horizontal branch 

 is very striking, and is enhanced by the curious habit, common 

 amongst so many species, of carrying something in his bill, 

 a piece of dead grass perhaps, but more frequently a dead 

 leaf, and when two or three of the latter, stuck together, are 

 picked up and carried for some distance the effect is striking 

 and at first somewhat startling, giving one the impression 



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