GRASSHOPPER WARBLER. 69 
Dorsetshire, near Kingsbridge, in Devonshire; Gloucestershire, 
Cornwall, Suffolk, Norfolk, Cumberland, Northumberland, and 
Durham; in Wiltshire on Malmesbury Common, Derbyshire, 
Oxfordshire, and also in Wales. 
In Scotland it has been seen at Musselburgh, near Edin- 
burgh; in Ayrshire, and in Galloway, at New Abbey. 
In Ireland also it 1s a-regular summer visitant to suitable 
localities from south to north. The neighbourhood of Belfast, 
in the counties of Down and Antrim, Carrickfergus, Killaloe, 
in the County Clare, Wexford, Clonmel, and Youghal, are 
mentioned by the late Wilham Thompson, Esq. among others. 
Resorting to the close shelter of hedges, underwood, sedgy 
places, and thickets, this bird is for the most part out of 
sight, and is chiefly visible in the morning. 
It is another of our migratory species, arriving in this 
country about the middle of April, and leaving us again in 
September. One has been picked up in August, cast up on 
the shore by the waves. It does not arrive in Scotland and 
the northern parts of the kingdom until the beginning of 
May. 
‘In its habits, says Mr. Yarrell, it is shy, vigilant, and 
restless, secreting itself in a hedge, and creeping along it for 
many yards in succession, more like a mouse than a bird; 
seldom to be seen far from a thicket, a patch of furze, or 
covert of some sort, and returning to it again on the least 
alarm. During the breeding-season, when bushes and shrubs 
are clothed with leaves, it is difficult to obtain a sight of 
this bird; yet, when near its haunt, its note rings on the ear 
constantly, and, like that of other aquatic Warblers, may be 
heard about sunset particularly, and sometimes even during 
the night.’ The bird is occasionally to be seen for a moment 
or two on the lower branches of some tree or shrub in its 
haunt, but is soon hid again from view. It has been ob- 
served to run out from its hiding-place along and to the 
extremity of some open branch, deliver its song, and then 
return to its retreat. The female, confined with her brood, 
conceals herself even more assiduously than the male. 
On the ground it runs very fast in a graceful manner, 
often jerking the tail and tossing up the head; and also is 
said to hop; it climbs about reeds with great dexterity 
and nimbleness. 
Its food is composed of flies, gnats, beetles. and other 
insects, grasshoppers, small snails, and slugs. 
