THE GRASSHOPPER BIRD.
Locustella avicula, Ray; Sylvia locustella, Latham; L’Llouette locustelle, Buffon; Der Fleuschrechensanger, Meyer.
This species is less than the white-throat; length five inches and a half; weight about three drachms and a quarter. The bill is dusky above, whitish beneath; irides light hazel. The whole upper parts of the bird are olivaceous brown; the middle of each feather dusky, except on the back of the neck, which gives it a pretty spotted appearance; the tail is much cuneiform, and the feathers somewhat pointed, which is a very marked and peculiar character in this species; the outer feather being full an inch shorter than the middle ones, and nearly rounded at the tips, the wing remarkably short, reaching very little beyond the base of the tail; legs very pale brown; claws light-horn colour; hind claw short and crooked.
In shape, the grasshopper warbler very much resembles the sedge-bird; is rather inferior in size, and at once distinguished by its spotted back.
MR. SWEET’T ACCOUNT OF THE GRASSHOPPER BIRD.
The present species is known amongst bird-catchers by the name of the grasshopper lark, and it was originally placed amongst the larks by ornithologists, but has been very properly removed from them by later authors, as it wants the most characteristic mark of that family, namely, its long claw. It is a very rare bird in the neighbourhood of London, and I have never been able to procure but one of them, which I lost the first winter, by letting it wash too much; in confinement it requires the same sort of management as recommended for the two last species, and it will succeed very well. I am not acquainted with their song, never having lived in any neighbourhood where they visit, but I have been credibly informed that they have none but a note like the chirping of the grasshopper; this may probably be the case, but I have often heard the same report of some of our finest songsters, which people had confused with very common birds, there being very few who do not confuse, under the general name of white-throats, the common fly-catcher, both white-throats, the greater pettychaps, and the blackcaps, when young; and many even confuse with these the willow wren, wood wren, and lesser pettychaps: this tribe of birds being only summer visitants, are less known than any others.
These birds are not uncommon in several parts of England; they are said to be plentiful on Malmesbury Common, Wiltshire, in summer, where they breed; they are also frequently seen in Norfolk and Suffolk, and in various other parts, where they build their nest among some high grass or sedge, in which it is so concealed that it is with difficulty found, except by watching the old birds carrying food to their young ones; or when building, they may be seen carrying materials to construct their nest.