THE SEDGE BIRD. 



Sylvia salicakia, Lath. 



This bird is sometimes known by the names of 

 Sedge Wren, Willow Lark, or Lesser Reed Spar- 

 row. Bewick calls it the Reed Fauvette. 



This pretty little species (says Sweet) is very 

 plentiful in the neighbourhood of London, which it 

 visits the beginning of April, and leaves again in 

 September, frequenting the sides of the river, or any 

 ditches, where there is a thicket of reeds, or sedge, 

 in which it builds its nest, and is almost continually 

 in song both by day and night. Its song consists of 

 a variety of notes, some of which are very loud, 

 and may be heard at a considerable distance, gene- 

 rally beginning with ' chit, chit, chiddy, chiddy, 

 chiddy, chit, chit, chit.' It is a very lively bird, 

 and shows scarcely any symptoms of fear, approach- 

 ing very near to any person who does not drive 

 or frighten it ; and it soon becomes very tame and 

 familiar in confinement, where, if well managed, 

 it will sing the greater part of the year.* 



Mr. J. Main, in the Magazine of Natural History, 

 says the Sedge Warbler " is a songster of most 

 wonderful powers. He may be called the Italian, 

 as to style, for the whole excellence consists in 

 the variety of his long-continued extravaganza ; 



* British Warblers. 



