12 FIELD-STUDIES OF RARER BIRDS 



used in very pretty circumstances. I had just seen 

 a pair of ' Dartfords ' ' scurry across a ' ' ride ' 

 intersecting a large ' ' brake ' ' of gorse and disappear 

 magically as usual into an isolated bush. On 

 my approach the cock plainly distressed and with 

 crown-feathers erect at once flew out of it, and 

 half fluttered, though he never actually touched 

 ground, across an open space adjoining. Still 

 agitated for his wife's welfare, I suppose, he 

 speedily returned, when, after sitting momentarily 

 on another bush, scolding me the while with the 

 soft, subdued tc-tc-tc, he dived into the patch yet 

 containing his mate and fetched her out. Then 

 both quickly decamped to a ridge sixty yards 

 further afield. 



Turning to the nesting arrangements of this 

 Warbler, one is confronted with a perplexing 

 problem, as how best to outwit a wily creature. In 

 parts of the Continent, we are told, the nest, from 

 being built amongst the outermost sprays of even 

 wayside gorse bushes, is conspicuous enough to 

 rider and pedestrian alike. In England, however, 

 I have only once seen a really exposed example, 

 and this literally compelled attention by reason of 

 several long, round stems of grass straggling out 

 from it, making it reminiscent externally of one 

 type of Yellowhammer's nest. Usually, unless the 

 gorse bushes are few, far between, and thinly 

 substanced, or unless the nest is in heather (it is 

 by no means easy to find even then), the naturalist's 



