200 LLOYDS NATURAL HISTORY. 



Melizophilus sardus. It appears to be resident in most of the 

 countries which it inhabits, but must be, to a certain extent, 

 migratory in some parts of its range, especially as it is known 

 to ascend the mountains in Southern Europe for the purpose 

 of nesting, and to descend to the low country in winter. 



Habits. — The Dartford Warbler, wherever found, seems in 

 England to be an inhabitant of the furze-covered districts, at 

 least during the breeding season, and it is only in the winter that 

 it may be found in such places as turnip-fields or in the vicinity 

 of the coast. It is pronounced by every observer to be a bird 

 of feeble flight, and it is, therefore, curious to note that on two 

 occasions specimens have been procured in Heligoland. Mr. 

 Howard Saunders says that in its habits it is a restless little bird, 

 flitting from the top of one furze-bush to another, with a quiet 

 and undulating flight, alighting in a very abrupt manner as if 

 the action were the result of an afterthought, the tail being 

 spread for an instant as if to aid the bird in an effort to retain 

 its balance. On the wing the bird looks very dark, in fact, like 

 a black, long-tailed Wren. The note which he most often heard 

 uttered was a pit-it-chou, whence the French name, "Pitchou" ; 

 but he says that it has a scolding note, cha-cha, when the bird 

 is irritated. Mr. Seebohm gives the following note on the 

 habits of the species as observed by him in winter near Biarritz, 

 where the birds were frequenting the reeds on the banks of a 

 small lake. " The first sight I had of one was that of a little dark 

 bird with a fan-like tail suddenly appearing amongst the reeds, 

 crossing a small patch where they had been cut down, and as 

 suddenly and silently disappearing amongst the reeds on the 

 opposite side. Occasionally, as we walked on the bank of the 

 lake, we heard a loud, clear, melodious pitch-oo repeated once 

 or twice amongst the reeds. The note was so musical that for a 

 moment one might imagine that a Nightingale was beginning 

 to strike up a tune. Now and then we saw the bird appear fur 

 a moment above the reeds, as if thrown up by a battledore ; 

 but it dropped down again and disappeared as suddenly. We 

 have rarely seen so skulking a bird. Once only it flew up 

 from the reeds and perched in a willow near a pair of fur/.e- 

 bushes. Like most other Warblers, this bird is very active, 

 ly resting for a moment, except when warbling its hurried 

 little song from the top of a furze-bush. It flits up the bush, 



