146 DARTFORD WARBLER. 



tree Warblers. The Dartford Warbler was first 

 made known by Dr Latham, as an addition to 

 the birds of Britain, while the indefatigable 

 Montague gave us the first detailed description 

 of its manners. A portion of these birds remain 

 during the whole year in this country, while it 

 seems also the opinion that a migration in spring 

 and autumn takes place. They may, in this 

 respect, resemble the Stonechat, some of which 

 remain constantly with us, an accession arriving 

 in spring. Their most favourite localities are 

 the extensive furze or whin commons, and coverts 

 in the south of England, stretching westward as 

 far as Cornwall. In the north of England, Scot- 

 land, and Ireland, we have no traces of the bird, 

 it seems also only to be known in central and 

 southern Europe, and we have no record of its 

 range in any other quarter of the world. It is 

 thus, so far as we know, local, but it is not so 

 uncommon in some districts as has been ima,- 

 gined. Thus, a writer in the Magazine of Natural 

 History states, that near Godalming it is plenti- 

 ful, " I have seen them by dozens skipping about 

 the furze, lighting for a moment on the very tops 

 of the sprigs, and instantly diving out of sight 

 again, singing out their angry impatient ditty, 

 for ever the same. While the fox-hounds have 

 been driving the furze-fields, I have seen the 

 tops of the furze quite alive with these birds." * 

 Then Mr Gould remarks, " They are very shy, 

 and though sometimes to be seen on the topmost 

 * Magazine of Natural History. 



