36 
Some writers have made out the Fen Reedling too exclusively an inhabitant of 
reedy places, which, after all, are not its most favourite habitat. No doubt it is 
commonly found in such situations, and frequently suspends, or rather fastens, its 
nest to a few contiguous reed-stems, as I have seen repeatedly; but I have more 
commonly observed it in tall bushes growing near the water, and sometimes placed 
against the trunk or large branch of a willow or poplar, interlacing one or two 
upright side shoots. When there are gardens adjoining its haunts, it very com¬ 
monly selects a lilac-bush, and in such localities the nest will be rarely found 
among the reeds. I have now a beautiful specimen before me, which is fastened 
to a single slender stem of elder, from which, within the centre of the fabric, 
issues a young green shoot, the extremity only of which is visible.* One, 
described by Mr. Rennie, was situate within a tuft of lucerne, and, consequently, 
very near the ground; but I have seen them at a height of ten, twelve, and even 
fifteen feet from the surface, placed amid the perpendicular shoots of willow or 
lilac. This species is very partial to gardens in watery situations, and will usually 
admit of a much closer approach than its congener; but still, the glances one is 
enabled to get at it are so momentary, and oftentimes against the light, that unless 
our suspicions are aroused, it is seldom that an unpractised eye can tell it readily 
from the Sedge Reedling. Its bill, however, is considerably larger, and the whole 
plumage of a much more uniform tint, without the pale streak over the eye, so 
conspicuous in the other species. 
The Sedge Reedling’s nest is always placed near the ground, amid a thick tuft 
of herbage, or among the shoots from a low stool of willow : it is of somewhat 
massive construction, a great deal of material being worked up, and the cavity 
deep, containing often as many as seven eggs, of a pale ground colour, thickly 
besprinkled with small, confluent, greenish specks, which, at the large end, often 
form a zone ; sometimes a few larger ash-coloured spots are observable, and, not 
unfrequently, some blackish dashes at the large end, which may be easily washed 
off by simply wetting them: a mode that will obliterate many of the darker mark¬ 
ings upon the eggs of birds. The young of this species differ very little from 
their parents, but have a number of dusky spots upon the breast. Interior of the 
mouth bright orange. 
same place, with very great spirit; which confirms an observation I have often made, that 
night-singing birds always continue their notes longer by night than in the day-time. 
* I have subsequently seen a nest about which was wound a long piece of fishing- 
tackle. This nest was situate about twelve feet from the ground, and was fastened to 
some slender twigs of Viburnum: in construction it more resembles those specimens which 
are built among the reeds, being otherwise chiefly composed of the seed-tops and softer 
leaves of reeds and sedges, without any moss or cottony substance interwoven. It is, how¬ 
ever, considerably less compact and neatly finished than that described in the text, and 
contains a less quantity of material. Those in the reeds are mostly of elegant formation. 
