OBSERVED IN HERTFORDSHIRE IN 1910. 
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the twigs in accordance with the normal practice of the birds. 
None of the reed-nests call for special comment, but two of the 
tree-nests had noteworthy features associated with them. In 
one case—the latest nest of the year, found as already described 
on August 4th, and then containing three eggs—the nest was 
suspended from four points of support; {a) a very thin twig of 
a willow-tree, ( b ) a thick burdock-stem, (c) a twining stem of 
the hop, and ( d ) a nettle-stem ; and the cup and its contents 
were completely covered over and protected by a broad leaf of 
the burdock. Two young birds were hatched out from this nest, 
the third egg being infertile. But the first of the tree-nests, 
found about the middle of June, was the most noteworthy of all. 
(1) It was at least 300 yards away from the reed-beds in and 
around which all the other fifteen nests were placed. This pair 
of birds, therefore, had quite isolated themselves from the rest 
of the colony. (2) It was built at least 15 feet from the ground 
and in a thick roadside hedge in which several small trees were 
growing. A vigorous growth of wild clematis (Clematis vitcdba ) 
twined and insinuated itself about and among these hedgerow 
trees, and just underneath the summit of this, where the crown 
of the clematis leaves formed a sort of level layer of foliage at 
the top of one portion of the hedge, the reed-warblers had built 
their nest, slinging it to some of the smaller clematis twigs. 
(8) The nest was within about four feet from the high road 
from Watford to Rickmans worth, along which doubtless many 
hundreds of people and vehicles passed during the month the 
birds were at their nest. Yet none knew of it save the keeper 
and myself, none divined the little secret; and probably none 
recognized the reed-warbler’s song which could be heard daily, 
now from one side and now from the other side of the road. 
And so the brood hatched off in safety, despite the fact— 
perhaps I ought to say because of the fact—that they and their 
beautiful little home were within twenty yards of the nearest 
cottage door. This was to me the most unusual and the most 
interesting incident connected with the reed-warblers’ nesting of 
1910, and that perhaps is the reason why I have described it at 
such length. Lastly, with regard to the relations between cuckoos 
and reed-warblers during 1910. Of the sixteen nests found, 
only four this year contained a cuckoo’s egg, three of these eggs 
being deposited in reed-nests, and only one in a tree-nest. And 
from these four only one young cuckoo eventually got off, 
and that one from a reed-nest. Two others were safely hatched 
out, but both met an unkind fate before they were able to leave 
the nest. 
Sedge-Warbler (Acrocephalus phragmitis ).—This bird is very 
closely related to the reed-warbler, and is much more plentiful 
and better known. I had always thought until this year that 
the sedge-warbler never slung its nest to supports as the reed- 
warbler invariably does, always building it on a foundation of 
twigs or other undergrowth. This year, however, I came across 
