158 HILLSIDE, ROCK, AND DALE 



posure of one second. But any lull in the wind 

 seemed as if it would not come. I believe it 

 increased in force. The light was dull, and con- 

 sequently I had to use my lens at full aperture, 

 and could not get very good definition, owing to 

 being so close to the nest. I was eventually, after 

 a lengthy wait, able to expose a few plates, two of 

 which are here shown. 



After taking these we searched for other nests, 

 but were unsuccessful in rinding any. I had, how- 

 ever, a splendid view of a male Dartford warbler. 

 He was perched on the top of a low holly bush, 

 only one or two yards away, and I was delighted 

 to hear his song. This was an extremely pretty 

 example of avian music, lasting only about eight 

 seconds, yet for pureness of tone, equal to any 

 other of our warblers. It is repeated at intervals 

 of about half a minute, sometimes from the same 

 bush, but more often from different stations. The 

 Dartford warbler is seldom seen on the wing, it 

 moves from bush to bush in a skulking way, and 

 does not often show itself. It is very confiding, 

 and does not seem to mind anyone approaching 

 to within two yards. I hope before long to find 

 out more about the habits of this little-known bird. 

 The egg is white, sometimes of a greenish or bufftsh 

 shade, spotted mostly at the larger end with dark- 

 brown spots, and much resembles those of the 

 whitethroat. 



