GRASSHOPPER WARBLER. 



LOCUSTELLA NJEVIA {Bodd.). 



Locustella naevia, Bodd. Table des PI. Enl. p. 35, no. 581 

 (1783). 



Sylvia locustella, Nauru, iii. p. 701. 

 Sibilatrix locustella, Macg. ii. p. 399. 

 Salicaria locustella, Hewitson, i. p. 112. 

 Acrocephalus nsevius, Yarr. ed. 4, i. p. 384<. 

 Locustella naevia, Dresser, ii. p. 611. 



Bec-fin locustelle, French; Buscli-Rohr stinger , German. 



This bird, though tolerably common as a spring 

 visitor to most parts of England and Wales, as well as 

 to Ireland and some parts of the south of Scotland, is, 

 from its peculiarly skulking habits, seldom seen, unless 

 specially sought for ; but its very remarkable note may 

 be heard at daybreak from the time of its arrival in 

 early April till the middle of June in most of our 

 fenlands, rough sedgy pastures, and heathy and furze- 

 grown commons. This note, from which the bird has 

 acquired its common English designation, is, in my 

 opinion, much more accurately indicated by the name of 

 " Reeler," or Reel-bird, often applied to this species in 

 our eastern counties. 



The nest of this Warbler is exceedingly difficult to 

 discover, being generally built on the ground in very 

 thick covert, and the birds approach it by means 

 of an occasionally long "creep" or run through the 

 surrounding vegetation. 



