ORNITHOLOGICAL NOTES FROM A SOUTH LONDON SUBURB. 
itself being very unusual with these passing birds. Last year 
— 1908 —a particularly energetic songster was to be heard 
daily for more than a week in Half Moon Lane, Dulwich. 
When the species bred on Tooting Common, | recorded its 
song as regular up to the middle of July. The autumn visitors 
to the gardens are usually seen at end of August or early in 
September, and are then mute. This bird seems to have a 
special taste for small bush fruit—te., currants. 
LESSER WHITETHROAT (Resident). 
Although less numerous as a species, this is more regularly 
observed with us than its larger relative, the shrubberies of the 
large suburban gardens and parks being a special attraction. 
In Dulwich Park and neighbourhood two or three pairs still 
nest yearly; these are the nearest known breeding places at 
the present day. Some fifteen or twenty years ago the old 
gardens at Camberwell and Brixton, now fast disappearing, 
were a great attraction, and to these, from 1875 to 1894, the 
birds came regularly and nested. The usual time of arrival 
is the last week in April—a day or two later than the preced- 
ing species—and the song which announces its arrival is con- 
tinued until about the first week in July. It was formerly a 
regular autumn visitor to our gardens, but of late years is 
rarely seen at that time. 
TREE PIPIT (Resident). 
Formerly bred sparingly in the neighbourhood of Herne 
Hill, but for some years not nearer than the outskirts of Dul- 
wich Wood. It was never a common species here, owing to 
the absence of open woods, of which the bird is especially 
fond. In this district I have not heard the song before the 
third week in April, nor later than July 8th, which, however, 
would be the usual time for the cessation of song. Some 
years since, I used to see one or more passing over on migra- 
tion each spring, and also again in August or September; now 
such a sight at either period is rare indeed. This change of 
habit or route seems to have affected all warblers. 
YELLOW WAG-TAIL (Occasioznal). 
This has always been a rare bird in the South London 
district, and I know no instance of the species nesting in the 
neighbourhood. Between 1875 and 1885 it was observed on 
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