2 34 
allen’s naturalist's library. 
in Europe almost exactly the same range as its congener, the 
Reed-Warbler, and breeds everywhere south of Denmark and 
the Baltic Provinces, but is a somewhat less western bird in its 
distribution, as there are parts of Western France whence the 
bird is not recorded, and no examples have yet been identified 
from the Spanish peninsula. Its eastward range is given by 
Dr. Pleske as reaching to the Ural Mountains and to the govern- 
ment of Ekaterinburg. Mr. Seebohm considers that it ranges 
further to Turkestan and Persia, but more information and a 
larger series of specimens are needed for the correct definition 
of the range of this species. It is said to winter in N.E. Africa 
as far as the Equatorial Provinces, and it reaches Natal on its 
winter journey. AVith regard to the occurrence of the species 
in Africa, we have re-examined the specimen shot by Captain 
Shelley in Natal, and there is little question that we have 
rightly identified the species. 
Habits. — -Arrives in its nesting quarters about the middle of 
May, and departs at the end of August. The bird is said to 
be much more restless than the Reed-Warbler, sitting in the 
open and singing, and taking long flights from tree to tree. Its 
song is superior to that of the allied species, and much more 
melodious, being, according to Mr. Seebohm, almost as rich as 
that of the Nightingale, and decidedly more varied, though not 
so loud. Sometimes, he adds, we might imagine that we were 
listening to the song of a Reed-Warbler with an unusually rich 
voice; but more often the melody recalls the song of the 
Swallow, the Lark, or that of the Tree-Warblers ; while we 
might also come to the conclusion that the singer had had 
lessons from a Nightingale or a Bluethroat. 
Nest. — According to Naumann, the nest is never placed over 
water, but always on more or less firm ground, so that it can 
always be reached by the hand, if the situation chosen be by the 
side of a stream. The nest is often placed at some little distance 
from the water in low bushes overgrown with reeds, or in nettles 
and other water-plants. If the Reed-Warbler is found in the 
same neighbourhood, as is often the case, the nests of the two 
species are differently situated, the Marsh-Warbler’s being in 
the herbage near the water, the Reed-Warbler’s in the reeds 
over the water. The nest is composed of round grass-stalks 
