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 living 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- 



