SEDGE WARBLER. 
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wings, with the first quill, minute ; second 
and third longest, and nearly equal ; tail 
rather long, rounded or cuneated ; feet rather 
large, formed for grasping ; hallux and claws 
very strong. S. socutella, phragmites, &c. 
Note — Habits aquatic ; climb among reeds and 
aquatic plants. 
The Sedge Warbler — Salicaria Phrag- 
mites. — Sedge Warbler, Sedge Bird, Reed 
Fauvette, of British authors. — This bird is by 
far the most frequent and commonly distributed 
of our native species ; indeed it is nearly as 
abundant as any of our summer w'arblers. It 
frequents reed-brakes and willow-holts, moist 
meadows surrounded with underwood, the mar- 
gins of rivers fringed with brush or tall aquatic 
plants, and young woods planted in low or damp 
lands. In passing the skirts of these, this little 
bird may almost day and night be heard rattling 
away at his own song and that of others ; and if 
for a moment he should be silent, a stone cast 
into the cover will bring him forth again with 
even more than his usual energy. During the 
clear long nights of summer this is also carried 
on with little intermission, and if silent, any sud- 
den noise made on approaching or passing his 
haunts will immediately rouse him. The nest is 
built among reeds or tall aquatic plants, or it is 
placed among the lower branches of the brush- 
wood. Amidst the former it can scarcely be said 
