DARTFOED WARBLERS 3 



allowing a species to winter the * * Dartford ' ' is 

 mainly a resident in Britain in a clime which was 

 ultimately to prove its partial undoing. Anyhow, 

 I can think of no quite parallel case. A second 

 reason assigned to the species' decrease is the 

 burning accidental and intentional of the gorse 

 and heather on down and common ; yet, on this 

 count, surely " Dartfords " driven from one spot 

 would speedily accommodate themselves to the 

 nearest suitable locality, as other birds have done 

 before now. Thirdly, to egg- and skin-collectors 

 has been given the credit (discredit would read 

 better) of having banished the bird from many a 

 once-favoured resort. Here, again, only those who 

 have hunted for "Dartfords' nests will surely 

 appreciate the meaning of the ancient adage of 

 ' looking for a needle in a bundle of hay," only, of 

 course, for " needle " you must substitute " nest," 

 for " hay," " furze" or " heath " ; for unless the 

 haunt shows low, scrappy, isolated bushes, the nest 

 is painfully hard to find in more senses than one. 

 Unfortunately, however, the slaughter of the birds 

 would not often be a matter of difficulty. 



In autumn and winter, some " Dartfords," at 

 all events, relinquish their breeding-grounds to 

 lead a nomadic existence, now visiting fields of 

 " roots," now almost any sort of rough ground 

 which can muster a few bushes. At these seasons 

 there seems to be some inclination on the birds' 

 part to lead a solitary existence and frequent the 



B2 



