STA 'ANGERS OF THE SPRING. 41 



near to us as France and Holland, and yet do not 

 cross to this country, have only extended their 

 range so far north after Great Britain became 

 separated from continental Europe, our regular 

 migrants probably acquiring the habit of breeding 

 in them before they became islands at all. Birds, 

 we know, are remarkably conservative in their 

 habits, and would continue to visit their British 

 breeding-grounds, undeterred by the narrow 

 channel that eventually separated these islands 

 from the main land. Of the five species of 

 Warbler that stray here in the spring, three of 

 them, the Aquatic Warbler, the Great Reed 

 Warbler, and the Icterine Warbler are regular 

 summer visitors to France, and breed there in 

 more or less abundance. The Barred Warbler 

 actually passes the latitude of the British Islands, 

 and breeds as far north as the south of Sweden ; 

 and this species should be watched for, especially 

 in autumn, as it is highly probable that it has 

 often been overlooked in this country. The 

 Orphean Warbler, although it has been said to 

 have bred in our islands, can only be looked upon 

 as a straggler to them, not breeding regularly 

 nearer than Luxemburg. The Golden Oriole is 

 another stranger of the spring, yet one to which 

 the English Channel is almost an impassable 

 barrier. Although it is common enough in all 

 parts of Central and Southern Europe suited to 

 its requirements, it only occasionally crosses over 

 to us. In the same way the Woodchat Shrike 



