THE DARTFORD WARBLER 235 



several years to half a dozen persons, who had 

 jealously kept the secret ; — to their great regret 

 they had had to keep it from their best friend and 

 chief supporter of their Society, Mr A., simply 

 because it would not be safe with him. He was 

 enthusiastic about the native bird hfe, the number 

 of species the county could boast, etc., and sooner 

 or later he would incautiously speak about the 

 Dartford warbler, and the wealthy local collectors 

 would hear of it, with the result that the birds would 

 quickly be gathered into their cabinets. 



My informant went on to say that the greatest 

 offenders were four or five gentlemen in the place 

 who were zealous collectors. The county had 

 obtained a stringent order, with all-the-year-round 

 protection for its rare species. Much, too, had been 

 done by individuals to create a public opinion 

 favourable to bird protection, and among the 

 educated classes there was now a strong feeling 

 against the destruction by private collectors of all 

 that was best worth preserving in the local wild 

 bird life. But so far not the slightest effect had 

 been produced in the principal offenders. They 

 would have the rare birds, both the resident species 

 and the occasional visitants, and paid liberally for 

 all specimens. Bird-stuffers, gamekeepers — their 



