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 BIRDS 24. Marsh - Warbler. Acrocephalus palustris (Bechstein). A bird, which has subsequently proved to be the marsh-warbler, was known to visit the valley of the Avon in the counties of War- wick, Gloucester and Worcester, as a summer migrant more than thirty years since. The first one observed frequented some very high beans by the side of the Avon at Welford, about five miles down stream from Stratford. Others were subsequently heard and seen, but it was not until the summer of 1887 that the species was satisfactorily determined, when two were shot by the author, whose attention was called to them by their unmistakable song and by their particular movements. Since that time others have been noted. In 1888 four were heard, all in the same neighbourhood, namely, in the valley of the Avon, near Littleton. After that date others were noted, and in the middle of June, 1892, a pair were seen by the author in some rank herbage in the bottom of a deserted stone quarry, when on search being made a nest was found suspended be- tween the stems of some nettles. But an animal of some kind had apparently rushed through the nettles and pushed the nest aside so that it could no longer be made use of. It contained one egg. Another nest was speedily constructed near the spot, and was found to be suspended between the stems of some umbelliferous plants. The pair of birds were watched going to and from the nest until four eggs were laid, which with the one in the first nest made up the full number, and after an interval of a few days, during which no more eggs were laid, both nests with the eggs were taken. Since the date above mentioned, the marsh- warbler has been repeatedly heard in the same neighbourhood, and no doubt remains that it is a regular summer visitor with us, though not in any considerable numbers. It is a thorough mimic and has been heard to imitate the notes of the skylark, swallow, sparrow, chaffinch, blackbird, thrush, starling, partridge, and some others, which are mixed and blended with its own notes into a low but very sweet song. The precise spots chosen by the marsh-warbler are such as are frequented by the common whitethroat and the sedge- warbler, but it has not been heard in the reed beds of the Avon. 25. Sedge- Warbler. Acrocephalus phragmitis (Bechstein). A common bird all through the summer, and its chattering song may be heard in every hedge, and almost every bush. The place chosen for the nest corresponds with that selected by the whitethroat. 26. Grasshopper-Warbler. Locustella navia (Boddaert). Although the grasshopper-warbler cannot be said to be a rare bird in Worcestershire, it is by no means abundant, and is very local, being more frequently heard in the western part of the county than in the north or the eastern side. It occasionally haunts corn, more especially barley-fields, in which there is little doubt it sometimes breeds. The few nests the writer has seen were all placed directly on the ground ; one of them on a steep grassy hedge bank, and three others in a field of Italian rye-grass. The latter were all exposed at the same time by the scythe in a field near the Avon. By ap- proaching cautiously the parent bird could be seen upon the nest, which had then nothing to hide it, and would creep off out of sight, having more the appearance of a mouse than a bird. All the three nests were made of the withered leaves of the rye-grass, and the lining was of the same but of finer leaves. [Savi's Warbler. Locustella lusctnioides {Ss-vi). The present species is included by Mr. Willis Bund in his list of Worcestershire birds, and also in the list of the county of Salop. A small bird having the size and colour of Savi's warbler has been seen several times during the summer in an osier bed in the Avon, a few miles up stream from Eve- sham. On the first occasion it was seen both by the author and his brother, and in the following year by his brother, near the same spot. The habit of these birds was to creep up an osier quite to the top, and then take a short flutter upwards and float down on open wings somewhat as a tree-pipit does from the top of a bush or tree. The short flights were often repeated, but there was no song of any kind.] 27. Hedge - Sparrow. Accentor modularis (Linn.). It is unnecessary to dwell upon this very common resident which may be seen every day about our dwellings. 28. Alpine Accentor. Accentor collaris (Sco- poll). An alpine accentor was shot several years since near the village of Ettington, a few miles from Stratford-on-Avon, and is still pre- served in a case of local birds. As Ettington lies almost on the line of division between the counties of Warwick and Worcester, the bird [47