BIRDS AT THEIR BEST 3 



thologist who was also a wealthy man, and who 

 spared no pains to make it perfect of its kind. About 

 eighteen months ago I passed a night in the house 

 of a friend close to the Dyke Road, and next morn- 

 ing, having a couple of hours to get rid of, I strolled 

 into the museum. It was painfully disappointing, 

 for though no actual pleasure had been expected, 

 the distress experienced was more than I had bar- 

 gained for. It happened that a short time before, 

 I had been watching the hving Dartford warbler, 

 at a time when the sight of this small elusive creature 

 is loveliest, for not only was the bird in his brightest 

 feathers, but his surroundings were then most 

 perfect — 



The whin was frankincense and flame. 

 His appearance, as I saw him then and on many 

 other occasions in the furze-flowering season, is fully 

 described in a chapter in this book; but on this 

 particular occasion while watching my bird I saw it 

 in a new and unexpected aspect, and in my surprise 

 and delight I exclaimed mentally, " Now I have seen 

 the furze wren at his very best ! " 



It was perhaps a very rare thing— one of those 

 effects of light on plumage which we are accustomed 

 to see in birds that have glossed metallic feathers, 

 and, more rarely, in other kinds. Thus the turtle- 



