28 THE BIRDS OF DORSET. 



GRASSHOPPER WARBLER. Acrocephalus ncevius, (Bodd). 



Yarrell, i. p. 384; Salicaria locustella, Harting, p. 14 ; Locus- 

 tella naevia, Dresser, ii. p. 611 ; Ibis List, p. 20 ; Locustella 

 locustella, Seebohm, i. p. 340. 



The Grasshopper Warbler arrives here in April and 

 leaves in September. Its creeping habits keep it 

 very much out of sight, and but for its prolonged 

 trill, resembling that of a grasshopper, it would be 

 passed by unnoticed. It is a constant visitor to the 

 neighbourhood of Blandford. I saw one on Cham- 

 berlayne's Heath in June 1876, and heard one in 

 Clenston Wood as late as September 4 of the present 

 year. A nest, containing five eggs, in the County 

 Museum, was taken in Houghton Heath, among some 

 sedge grass, by Colonel Stuart. 



DARTFORD WARBLER. Melizophilus undatus, (Bodd). 



Yarrell, i. p. 398 ; Dresser, ii. p. 441 ; Ibis List, p. 14 ; Sylvia 

 undata, Harting, p. 16; Sylvia provincialis, Seebohm, i. 

 p. 414. 



The Dartford Warbler is a resident, confining itself 

 chiefly to the heathy districts of the county. Sir 

 Edward Newton and I had the rare opportunity, on 

 June 8, 1876, of watching a pair on Studland Heath 

 feeding their young. After short intervals, they 

 returned with a small green caterpillar in their bills, 

 which was soon disposed of by the little nestlings, 

 which were hidden in a thick furze-bush. This 

 species has been seen at Blackdown (a tertiaiy out- 

 lier) ; on Houghton Stubbs, a considerable distance 



