A HISTORY OF SUSSEX 



13. Bluethroat. Cyunecula suecica (Linn.) 



A female of this species is recorded by 

 Yarrell as having been killed near Worthing 

 May 2, 1853, and there is a most beautiful 

 old male in the Borrer collection at Cowfold, 

 which was caught by a boy between Stanmore 

 Park and Brighton on October, 1862. I 

 have lately seen a bluethroat in the hands of 

 Mr. Wells of Worthing that was undoubtedly 

 killed in Sussex some years ago, although 

 particulars of its capture are wanting. 



14. Redbreast. Erithacus ruhecula (Linn.) 

 Very common. In the autumn the males 



fight desperately with others of their own 

 species coming on to their own beat, and I 

 have even caught a pair in my hand who were 

 thus wrangling on the ground. 



15. Nightingale. Daulias luscinia (Linn.) 



A fairly common summer visitor to east 

 and west Sussex. Though found in places 

 along the edge of St. Leonards Forest it 

 seldom penetrates far into the less frequented 

 parts, rather preferring the long strips of 

 coppice and the pits near some path or 

 thoroughfare. 



16. Whitethroat. Sylvia cinerea (Bechstein). 

 A very abundant summer visitor. 



17. Lesser Whitethroat, Sylvia curruca 



(Linn.) 

 Though not a common species the lesser 

 whitethroat is more abundant in Sussex than 

 in any other county. It is easily recognized by 

 its song, and is very tame on its first arrival in 

 summer. 



18. Blackcap. Sylvia atricapilla (Linn.) 

 Rather a scarce summer visitor to west 



Sussex and in no part of the county very 

 common, except about St. Leonards. 



1 9. Garden-Warbler. Sylvia hortensis (Bech- 



stein). 

 A somewhat scarce and local visitor, and is 

 the last warbler to arrive. 



20. Dartford Warbler. Sylvia undata (Bod- 



daert). 

 Found locally in small numbers along the 

 South Downs. It is to be feared that this 

 interesting little resident must be classed 

 amongst the diminishing species. Mr. Wells, 

 the Worthing naturalist, states that he has 

 not seen a specimen near that town for twenty 

 years. Mr. Butterfield also informs me that 

 Mr. Thomas Sorrell of Hastings used to find 

 the nest regularly near that town until the 

 year 1886, so that the rapid diminution in the 



numbers of Dartford warblers must have 

 commenced about that date. 



21. Goldcrest. Regulus cristatus, Koch. 

 Common throughout the year and, in the 



winter months, associating with flocks of 

 tits. In 1899 the nest of a goldcrest in 

 the garden at Denne Park was so placed on 

 the trailing branches of some honeysuckle 

 that the hats of passers-by brushed against it 

 without disturbing the female bird, who 

 successfully hatched out her numerous pro- 

 geny. 



22. Firecrest. Regulus ignicapillui (Brehm.) 

 Probably an irregular visitor. Two males 



were shot by Mr. R. Butterfield on February 

 24, 1 90 1, at St. Helen's, Hastings. 



23. ChiffchafF. Phylloscopus rufus (Bech- 



stein). 

 The first warbler to arrive in Sussex, nest- 

 ing in small numbers throughout the county. 



24. Willow- Warbler. Phylloscopus trochilus 



(Linn.) 

 The most numerous of the common war- 

 blers. 



25. Wood- Warbler. Phylloscopus sihilatrix 



(Bechstein). 

 This species, which is one of the last to 

 arrive and to depart, is common in all the 

 large beech and oak groves of St. Leonards 

 Forest. Its beautiful wild song is the most 

 noticeable of bird sounds which one hears on 

 a summer day's ramble in the forest. The 

 wood-warbler is far more diflicult to ap- 

 proach than the willow-warbler or the 

 chifFchaff. In east Sussex this bird is very 

 local. 



26. Rufous Warbler. Aedon galactodes {licm- 



minck). 

 The first example of this species obtained 

 in England was shot by Mr. Swaysland at 

 Plumpton Besthill near Brighton on Septem- 

 ber 16, 1854. It was a male preparing to 

 moult (Borrer). A note in Mr. Borrer's 

 handwriting occurs in his book, ' Rufous 

 warbler on downs, September, 1899.' 



27. Icterine Warbler. Hypolais icterina 



(Vieillot). 

 Although this little warbler is common on 

 the continent to the south and also in Norway, 

 where I have seen many even within the 

 arctic circle, it has rarely visited our shores. 

 Only one example has been obtained in 

 Sussex. The specimen, a female, was shot 

 at Burwash on April 30, 1897, and was 



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