GRASSHOPPE R- WARBLER 



apparently on the point of pairing. The male was excitedly 

 following the female, singing at intervals, and at times 

 bowing slightly ; but this is the only evidence I have that two 

 broods may be reared in the same season, while on the other 

 hand the general behaviour of the males, when the young- 

 are fully fledged, is very different to this, for they sing for 

 about a fortnight, that is to say, during the latter part of 

 June and the beginning of July, then become restless and 

 wander away from their breeding quarters. During these 

 last days of June, if the weather is warm, their song can be 

 heard to advantage in the evening and on through the night, 

 rising and falling as the head is inclined first this way and 

 then that. It is surprising how the song will penetrate, for 

 it can be heard without difficulty a quarter of a mile away. It 

 often happens, too, at this time of year, that the only other 

 sounds in the night-time are the " cliurring " of the Nightjar, 

 the craking of the Landrail, and the hissing of the young 

 Brown Owls, sounds which are well in keeping and only 

 tend to emphasise the stillness of the night. 



Although their song is so peculiar, yet there are a few 

 notes in the song of the Tree-Pipit and Wren for which they 

 may easily be mistaken, and often when listening at day- 

 break for these Warblers I have been completely deceived 

 by these few notes, which, at a distance, with the remainder 

 of the song lost, are barely distinguishable from those of the 

 Wren or Tree-Pipit. The range of call-notes they use seems 

 to be small ; the usual one is something like that of the Eobin 

 or Blackcap, a " tic tac tac" and this note seems to be used 

 principally when alarmed. The note which the female uses 

 to call the male, or to put the young at their ease, is usually 

 a single "tic"} on the other hand, this single "tic" quickly 

 and loudly uttered may also be one of alarm ; it seems, there- 

 fore, that it depends more on the manner in which the note 

 is given than on the actual note itself. There is no difference 

 in the note of the two sexes. 



Climatic conditions seem to influence them to a certain 



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