BIRDS 



exhibited by Mr. N. F. Ticehurst at the 

 British Ornithologists' Club on May 19 of 

 that year. 



28. Melodious Warbler. Hypokis pohglotta 



(Vieillot). 

 In the Zoologist for July, 1897, Mr. N. 

 Ticehurst mentioned the occurrence of a 

 small warbler which had been taken on 

 April 30 of that year at Burwash, and which 

 he suggested might belong to this species. 

 The bird itself was afterwards sent by Mr. 

 G. Bristow, the owner, to Mr. Howard 

 Saunders, who corroborated Mr. Ticehurst's 

 view and identified it as belonging to this 

 species. A second specimen, a male, was 

 shot at Ninfield on May 11, 1900, and 

 identified by Mr. Butterfield. This bird 

 has also been examined by Mr. H. Saunders 

 {Ibis, 1900, p. 569). 



29. Reed -Warbler. Acrocephalus strepcrus 



(Vieillot). 

 Common in suitable localities where large 

 reed and willow beds are to be found. 



30. Great Reed-Warbler. Acrocephalus tur- 



doides (Meyer). 

 Mr. Borrer includes this species amongst 

 the birds of Sussex on the authority of Mr. 

 JefFery, who states that he saw one in Ratham 

 garden on July 26, 1885. 



31. Sedge- Warbler. Acrocephalus phragmitis 



(Bechstein). 

 Very common in the summer months. 

 Like several of the reed-warblers it sings 

 throughout the night, and is an excellent 

 mimic. 



32. Aquatic Warbler. Acrocephalus aquaticus 



(J. F. Gmelin). 

 The first example of this warbler which 

 occurred in England was one obtained by 

 Mr. Pratt of Brighton at Hove on October 

 19, 1853. It passed into the collection of 

 Mr. Borrer, where I have lately seen it. 



33. Grasshopper-Warbler. Locustella navia 



(Boddaert). 

 A somewhat uncommon but regular mi- 

 grant to Sussex. I have seen this species 

 twice in six years, both times near Rusper. 

 It is however fairly numerous on the commons 

 south of Pulburough. 



34. Hedge - Sparrow. Accentor ynodularis 



(Linn.) 

 Locally, Hedge Mike, Hedge Betty (M. J. 

 NicoU). 

 Very common everywhere. 



35. Alpine Accentor. Accentor collaris (Sco- 



poli). 

 Two specimens of the Alpine accentor 

 are recorded in Yarrell as having been shot 

 near Hailsham on December 26, 1857, and 

 Borrer also states that he watclied one for 

 some time on his lawn at Cowfold. 



36. Dipper. Cinclus aquaticus, Bechstein. 

 A rare visitor. 



37. Bearded Reedling. Panurus biarnucus 



(Linn.) 

 Formerly this beautiful species was resident 

 and breeding within the county, and Borrer 

 mentions that bearded tits had bred near 

 Amberley about 1844, and that it also nested 

 regularly near Lancing. Now it has de- 

 parted with the great reed beds and rarely 

 occurs even as a straggler. Mr. Meade- 

 Waldo saw a small flock near East Grinstead 

 in 1892. 



38. Long-tailed Tit. Acreduta caudata 



(Linn.) 

 Common and resident. 



39. Great Tit. Parus major, Linn. 

 Very abundant. 



40. Coal-Tit. Parus atcr, Linn. 



Very common in all the fir woods of the 

 county. 



41. Marsh-Tit. Parus pa lustris, Linn. 

 Although this species is not supposed to 



love the neighbourhood of marshes and its 

 title is considered by many to be somewhat a 

 misnomer, yet it is indubitably more common 

 in the swampy places of St. Leonards Forest 

 than in any other part of Sussex. It prefers 

 to go about in pairs, though occasionally 

 hanging on to the outskirts of a winter flock 

 of longtail, great, coal and blue tits. 



On a recent visit to Mr. Ernst Hartert 

 at Tring, that excellent naturalist showed 

 me some marsh-tits shot by Mr. Butterfield 

 near St. Leonards whose heads were suffused 

 by a slight brown tinge and without gloss, 

 and which he has since identified as a new 

 British species under the name of the willow- 

 tit [Parus tnontanus kleinschniidti)?- 



1 Even if the birds are to be distinguished as a 

 slight local variety I entirely fail to see that a slight 

 brown tinge on the black crown of a bird is 

 sufficient to entitle them to especial recognition. 

 The world of naturalists is now made up of those 

 who would condense and those who would multi- 

 ply names and species ad infinitum, but if we are to 

 acccept Parus tnontanus kleinschmidti, how can we 

 possibly fail to name the forty-two different types 



277 



