FANTATT, WARBLER. 89 



This pretty little Warbler, the smallest of the European 

 Reed Warblers, is at once distinguished from all others 

 by its curved beak and fan-shaped black and white 

 tipped tail. It was first described by Temminck, in 

 the first edition of the "Manual," from skins brought 

 to him from Portugal, by M. M. Link and Hoffinannsegg, 

 and was subsequently taken by Natterer in some plenty 

 at Algesiras, in the neighbourhood of Gibraltar. It 

 belongs to the genus Cysticola of Lesson and Bonaparte, 

 and is closely allied to the so-called Beutelsingers which 

 inhabit especially Asia, Africa, and New Holland, bearing 

 as Count Miihle observes, the same relation to the other 

 Warblers as the Beutel Titmouse does to the other 

 Titmice. 



It is found in Portugal, the marshes near Pome, 

 Tuscany, Sardinia, and Sicily, where it is very common. 

 In France it is principally found on the banks of the 

 Var, and the marshy country of Camargue. It is found 

 along the whole shore of the Mediterranean, is plen- 

 tiful in Greece, and extends even to the south of 

 Siberia. 



Count Miihle remarks, "that it appears always lively 

 and cheerful, winter or summer. It loves to live among 

 sedges and rushes in ponds and swamps, and may be 

 often seen rocking itself with evident pleasure on the 

 top of the papyrus plants, f Cyperus papyrus. J In 

 summer it dwells by choice in swamj)y grounds, and 

 when these become cold and bare in winter it resorts 

 to the high grass of the meadows and corn-fields. It 

 does not appear to frequent the cistus tree, and there- 

 fore the name given to it by the Germans, Cisten- 

 s anger, is misapplied." 



In its habits we perceive a strong similarity to the 

 rest of its family. "If it hide among the grass, in a 



