AEDON GALACTODES. 
Rufous Sedg'e -Warbler. 
Turdus arundinaceus, var. (5, Lath. Ind. Orn., tom. i. p. 335. 
Sylvia galactotes, Temm. Man. d’Orn., tom. i. p. 182. 
rubiginosa, Temm., ib. vol. iii. p. 129. 
Turdus rubiginosus, Meyer, Orn. Taschenb., tom. ui. p. 66. 
Aedon galaciodes, Boie, Isis. 1826, p. 972. 
rubiginosus, Degl. Orn. Eur., tom. i. p. 567. 
Erythropygia galactotes, Bonap. Geog. & Comp. List of Birds of Eur. and N. Amer., p. 13. 
Agrobates galactotes, Swains. Class, of Birds, vol. ii. p. 241. 
Salicaria galactodes. Keys, et Bias. Wirbelth. Eur., p. Iv. 
This very attractive species has at least been killed twice in England, and is therefore entitled to a place 
in our avifauna. The southern and eastern portions of Europe, North Africa, Asia Minor, and Persia are 
its natural home, in some of which countries it is as common and as well known to their bird’s-nesting 
boys as the Nightingale and the Reed-Wren are to those of our own country. Its general colouring, like 
that of Cursorius and some other eastern birds, is very similar to the sandy districts in which it dwells ; 
just as the Ptarmigan in winter assimilates to the snow with which it is surrounded ; hut Aedon galactodes 
can at pleasure render itself conspicuous by spreading out and exhibiting the contrasted markings of its 
tail, which it often does, perhaps to a greater extent than any other species of the Sylvidse. The markings 
of birds, often hidden when not in action, are of great interest to the ornithologist ; since observation has 
shown him that such adornments are not given without a purpose, and that their owner has the power of 
exhibiting them to the greatest advantage, whether it be the train of the stately Peacock, the decorated 
tails of the Polypectron and the Turkey, or the fan-shaped tail of the present bird. It is said by those 
who have seen the present bird alive, that a more attractive little creature can scarcely be found — its actions, 
as might be inferred from its form, being sprightly and graceful as it flits from hillock to hillock with its 
tail at one moment erect, and at the next spread out to its fullest extent. 
A record of the first specimen known to have been killed in our island will be found in the ‘ Zoologist ’ 
for 1854, p. 4511, where Mr. William Borrer, Jun., says: — “As G. Swaysland, a bird-stuffer, of Brighton, 
was driving near a part of the South Downs, about six miles from that town, known as Plumpton 
Bosthill, on the 16th of September, he noticed a bird which he supposed to be a cream-coloured variety 
of the Nightingale. Having no gun, he proceeded about four miles to obtain one, and returning to the spot 
found the bird about twenty yards from where he first observed it. It was very wary, flying always to the 
further side of some furze-bushes, mounting into t^e air some fifteen yards, and settling on the side furthest 
from him. Swaysland describes its flight as resembling that of the young of the Red-backed Shrike. 
He at last got a shot, at about forty yards, and killed it. On dissection it proved to be a male, and would 
shortly have moulted, one or two young primaries having made their appearance ; they were darker-coloured 
than the old ones. The feathers also on the back and tail, especially the central ones of the latter, are much 
worn.” Mr. Borrer borrowed the bird and sent it to Mr. Yarrell ; and it is from this specimen that the 
figure in the second Supplement of the ‘ British Birds ’ was taken. It is now in the possession of Fuller 
Maitland, Esq. 
The occurrence of the second English example is thus recorded by Mr. G. R. Gray in the ‘Annals and 
Magazine of Natural History,’ vol. iv. 3rd ser., 1859, p. 399 : — 
“A second specimen of the Rufous Sedge Warbler {Aedon galactotes) was killed near Start Point, 
South Devonshire, on the 25th of September last. It was shot by William D. Llewelyn, Esq., by whom it 
has been presented to the British Museum. That gentleman observed that its flight much resembled that 
of a Lark, and that it was exceedingly thin. Its visit was probably occasioned by the strong southerly wind 
which had prevailed for sevei*al days.” 
According to Ternrainck, it was first obtained at Gibraltar, by M. Natterer, a distinguished traveller and 
naturalist attached to the Imperial Museum of Vienna, who subsequently secured other examples at Algeslras. 
Latham (who, in his ‘ General History of Birds,’ calls it Gibraltar Warbler, from the place of its first 
detection) says it arrives there “ the last week in April, is a familiar bird, void of fear, perching on the 
tops of shrubs, hedges, and walls in the manner of the Redstart.” 
Mr. O. Salvln, in his “ Five Months Birds’-nestlng in the Eastern Atlas ” (‘The Ibis,’ 1859), says: 
