76 SEDGE WARBLER. 
with little intermission, and even still on ‘till morning comes 
again.’ Any sudden alarm brings forth its rattle with renewed 
vigour. It is correctly said by some to imitate the notes of 
other birds; I have heard it myself closely take off the 
chirping of the Sparrow. Mr. James R. Garrett, says Mr. 
Thompson, has known it repeat the cricket-like note of the 
Grasshopper Warbler, and suddenly burst out into the song 
of the Swallow or some other bird. So also Mr. Stewart 
narrates, as quoted in the same work, that he has heard it 
mimic the clear warble of the Thrush, and the hoarse twitter 
of the Sparrow; to which Mr. Selby adds the notes of the 
Lark and the Linnet. 
N. Rowe, Esq., of Worcester College, Oxford, has taken the 
nest in a seringa tree. It is usually placed at about two, 
and never at a greater height than three or four, feet from 
the ground, on a stump of a willow or alder tree, but generally 
among the tall grass or flags that grow along the side of 
the river or pool. G. B. Clarke, Esq., of Woburn, has been. 
kind enough to forward me specimens of the nest and eggs. 
The nest is made of stalks of grass, and other smaller plants, 
lined with finer parts of the same and hair: it is rather large, 
and but loosely put together. Selby says that moss is 
sometimes used. The young leave the nest very soon. 
The eggs, four, or generally five, Sir William Jardine says 
six or seven, in number, are of a pale yellowish brown colour, 
marked with light brown and dull grey. They are usually 
closely freckled all over. Mr. Heysham mentions a nest which 
contained three quite white. Sometimes they are uniform dull 
yellow: they are laid early in May. 
Male; weight, about three drachms; length, about four inches 
and a third; the upper bill, broad at the base, is brownish 
black, the lower pale reddish brown, the end dusky, a pale 
brown streak runs from it to the eye, and a short way down 
the side of the neck; iris, brown; over it is a broad yellowish 
white band, proceeding from the base of the bill. Head on 
the crown, brownish black, the edges of the feathers streaked 
with light brown, in the latter part of the summer it becomes 
nearly uniform -brownish black; neck on the sides, yellowish 
brown, on the back and nape, reddish brown, tinged with 
grey, the middle of each feather being dark brown; chin and 
throat, nearly white; breast, brownish white, strongly tinged 
with yellowish brown on the sides; back above, reddish brown, 
tinged with grey, the middle of each feather being dark brown, 
