122 
SYLVIADiE. 
INSESSORES. 
DENTIROSTRES. 
SYLVIA DJE. 
GREAT SEDGE WARBLER. 
Salicaria Arundinacea. 
S. Turdoides. 
PLATE XXXII. FIGS. III. AND IV. 
Naturalists have to thank Mr. John Hancock, of 
Newcastle, that they can call this species British. I 
quote his own words, which record the fact, from the 
“ Annals of Natural History.” “A male specimen of 
this fine warbler was shot three or four miles west of 
Newcastle, near to the village of Swalwell, by Mr. 
Thomas Robson of that place, on the 28th of May. 
The attention of this gentleman, who is perfectly familiar 
with the song of all our summer visitants, was arrested 
by a note which he had not before heard, and after some 
search he succeeded in getting a sight of the bird. It 
was concealed in the thickest part of a garden hedge, 
close to an extensive mill-dam, which is bordered with 
willows, reeds, and other aquatic plants. It would 
scarcely leave its retreat, and when it did so. never flew 
far, and always kept close to the herbage. Its habits 
resembled those of the reed fauvette, being continually 
in motion, occasionally hanging with the body down¬ 
wards, or clinging to the branches, and stretching for¬ 
wards to take its prey. From the nature of the locality, 
from the time when captured, and from the enlarged 
state of the testicles, there can be little doubt that this 
