326 BRITISH BIRDS' NESTS. 



chiu, throat, breast, and sides cliestnut-brown ; 

 belly white ; under tail-coverts slate grey ; legs 

 and toes pale reddish-brown; claws darker. 



The female resembles the male, except that she 

 is more tinged with brown on her upper- and lighter 

 on her mider-parts. The chestnut-brown does not, 

 however, extend so far down the breast. 



The Dartford Warbler has the power of partly 

 erecting the feathers on the head, so as to form a 

 kind of crest. 



Situation and Locality. — In the lower parts of 

 thick furze bushes ; very locally and sparingly on 

 commons and other places covered by furze bushes, 

 principally in the counties along the south coast 

 of England. It was at one time not supposed to 

 nest north of the Thames, but Mr. Dixon has 

 proved that it does so as far north even as York- 

 shire. It is not found either in Scotland or 

 Ireland. 



Materials. — Small and slender branches of furze, 

 grass stalks, bits of moss and wool, with an inner 

 lining of fine grass, and sometimes a few horsehairs. 

 It is somewhat slight of build, and has been likened 

 to that of the Whitethroat. 



Eggs. — Four to five, greenish or huffish-white 

 in ground colour, speckled all over with dark olive- 

 brown, and underlying markings of grey, which 

 generally become more dense at the larger end, and 

 form a kind of zone. There is very little difference 

 indeed between the eggs of this bird and those of 

 the AVhitethroat, excej^t that the markings are more 

 conspicuous. Size about "68 by '5 in. 



Time. — April, May, and June. 



Bemarls. — Resident. Notes : j^i^-^i-chou-cJia-ch- 

 cJia. Local and other names : Furze Wren. Sits 

 close, and slips away quietly. 



