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SYLVIA arundinacea. 
The Reed W arbler, or Reed Wren . 
S. arundinacea. Above olive brown, beneath yellowish white, 
lores and orbits whitish brown, wings with a tawny yellow band 
in the middle underneath, tail brown, somewhat wedge-form. 
Turt. Brit. Faun. v.l.p. 45. 
Bill dusky above, yellowish beneath, broad at the base. Iris 
hazel. Sides inclining to rufous brown. From the bill to the 
eye a lightish streak. Quill and tail-feathers dusky, with olive- 
brown margins. Legs dusky. Soles greenish-yellow. 
Length hardly five inches and a half; weight about three drachms. 
Turt. loc. cit . 
A pretty little lively species, generally frequenting 
the sides of rivers and ditches when in a wild state, 
where its warbling song may be heard amongst the 
Reeds, and Sedges, or other thickets, that are near the 
water ; visiting us the beginning or middle of April, 
and leaving again in September ; towards Autumn it 
sometimes leaves its usual haunts, and frequents the 
gardens for the sake of insects ; it is particularly fond 
of the common house-fly (Muscat domestica), and I have 
frequently seen several of them in August and the be- 
ginning of September by the side of large dung-heaps, 
where those flies breed, and about that time are coming 
out from the pupa state in great quantities ; they may 
then be readily taken in a trap baited with a small moth 
or green caterpillar ; when first caught they should if 
possible be put in a cage with other tame birds, or if 
one is placed in a cage by itself, it should be set near 
F 
