WARBLERS 105 



heard. The white-throat finds its favourite 

 nesting-place among the thick bramble-brakes 

 and brackens, its loud, cheerful song continuing 

 far into summer when most of our other birds 

 are silent. The garden warbler is a recent 

 addition to our local list, both it and the wood 

 warbler having been identified by a trustworthy 

 observer. The black cap has been but once 

 recorded, and the chiffchaff is reported as 

 having been identified by its call-note ; but 

 this latter requires more certain identification. 

 Then, last of our warblers, comes the sedge 

 warbler, whose cheerful song is often heard far 

 into the summer night as it flits in spiral fashion 

 from spray to spray of some alder-bush by the 

 loch side, till, having perched on the topmost 

 twig, it flutters singing upwards, and then drops 

 to the foot again. 



The tiny gold-crest, smallest of all our 

 British birds, is often seen in little travel- 

 ling flocks of various tits in spring and 

 autumn ; but some are always resident and 

 nest with us, though sparsely. That such 

 tiny mites can brave the storms and gales of 

 the Northern seas and reach our coasts seems 

 almost incredible, but so it is. The graceful 

 long-tailed tit is often their companion, and of 

 these, too, a few pairs remain with us. The 



