THE DARTFORD WARBLER 231 



to further questions, he said that the birds were in 

 a place where they could not very well be shot, but 

 that made no difference ; he had a simple, effective 

 way of getting them without a gun, and he was sure 

 that not one would escape him. 



On my mentioning the fact that the Kent County 

 Council had obtained an order for an all the year 

 round protection of this very bird, he looked at me 

 out of the corners of his eyes and laughed, but said 

 nothing. He took it as a rather good joke on my part. 



There is not the slightest doubt that our wealthy 

 private collectors have created the class of injurious 

 wretches to which this man belonged. 



To some who have glanced at a little dusty, 

 out of shape mummy of a bird, labelled " Dartford 

 Warbler," in a museum, or private collection, or 

 under a glass shade, it may seem that I speak too 

 warmly of the pleasure which the sight of the small 

 furze-lover can give us. They have never seen it 

 in a state of nature, and probably never will. When 

 I consider all these British Passeres, which, seen at 

 their best, give most delight to the aesthetic sense 

 the jay, the " British Bird of Paradise," as I have 

 ventured to call it, displaying his vari - coloured 



