SYLVIIN^. CALAMOHERPE. 
155 
brownish-white, the lower tail-coverts unspotted. Female 
similar, but with the upper part of the head more tinged with 
brown, the back of a lighter tint, the rump less bright. The 
young resemble the adults, but are more tinged with red. 
Male, jf, y^, y\, . I emale, 5y®^, 7/^. 
The Sedge Keedling, which is rather common in many of 
the marshy parts of England, but rare in Scotland, arrives in 
the end of April, and departs in the beginning of October. Its 
favourite resorts are places overgrown with reeds and other 
tall aquatic plants, among which it searches for its insect food, 
and places its nest, which is bulky, loosely constructed of 
grasses, and lined with finer materials of the same nature, 
with some hair. The eggs, generally five, are eight-twelfths 
long, six-twelfths in breadth, of a greenish-white colour, dot- 
ted and freckled with light brown and greenish-grey. This 
bird has a lively, modulated, and mellow song, which is often 
heard very late at night. It is very active and lively, but 
from its mode of life is seldom seen. 
Sedge Warbler. Sedge-bird. Sedge- wren. 
Sylvia Salicaria, Lath. Ind. d’Ornith. ii. 516. — Sylvia 
phragmitis, Temm. Man. d’Ornith. i. 189. — Calamoherpe 
phragmitis. Sedge Keedling, MacGillivray, Brit. Birds, ii. 390. 
9l. Calamoherpe arundinacea. Marsh Keedling. 
Tail rather long, considerably rounded ; upper parts of a 
uniform light olive-brown, without spots ; lower parts pale 
greenish-yellow, throat white. Female somewhat smaller, but 
otherwise similar. 
I Male, 5-J, .., 2y^^, 
I This species, which is distinguished by having the upper 
i parts of a uniform tint, they being spotted with dusky in the 
I other, arrives in the end of April, and disperses over the south- 
ern and middle parts of England. Its habits are similar to 
those of the Sedge Keedling; its song, loud, cheerful, much 
diversified, and sometimes performed at night. The nest, of 
an obconical form, is fastened to the stalks of several reeds, 
nettles, or other tall plants, at some distance from the ground. 
The eggs, four or five, are eight and a half twelfths long, nearly 
six-twelfths in breadth, greyish-brown, faintly dotted and 
spotted with greenish-brown. 
Keed Warbler. Keed Wren. 
Motacilla arundinacea, Gmel. Syst. Nat. i. 992. — Sylvia 
arundinacea, Temm. Man. d’Ornith. i. 191. — Calamoherpe 
arundinacea. Marsh Keedling, MacGillivray, Brit. Birds, ii. 
395. 
