DARTFORD WARBLER 



FURZE WREN. 



PLATE CXXX. 



Sylvia provincialis, .... SEEBOHM. 



Sylvia undata, BODDAERT. 



Motadlla provinrialis, .... GMELIN. 



Melizophilus provincialis, . . . MACGILLIVRAY. 



THE nest of this bird, which is now known to be a 

 resident in the furze districts of the south of England, 

 is slight in its make, is placed in a furze bush, to the stems 

 of which it is attached, at a height of about two feet from 

 the ground. It is built of dry stalks and gorse grass, 

 mixed with bits of the gorse ; the materials, though in 

 reality firmly compacted, are apparently but loosely put 

 together, and have a slight interweaving of wool. 



Two broods appear to be reared in the year, the second 

 nest being more flimsy than the first. Montagu found the 

 nest and eggs after the middle of July, the earlier brood 

 being hatched early in May. 



The eggs, four to five in number, are of a whitish-grey 

 ground colour, slightly tinged with green, speckled all over 

 with olive-brown and ash-colour; near the larger end the 

 markings are more run together, and form a sort of zone. 



