" Both parents engage in the task of feeding the young." 



T 



THE DARTFORD WARBLER 



HE Dartford Warbler is one another bush, recommences his vocal 



efforts. 



The Dartford Warbler never appears 

 to take long flights, and is very elusive 

 when being followed. I have over and 

 over again known one drop into deep 

 heather, and, when searched for at the 

 place where it alighted, disappear as 

 completely as if the earth had opened 

 and swallowed it up. 



The bird's alarm note is an oft-re- 

 peated cha, cha, which appears to 

 be louder and harsher in the case of 

 the female than her mate. 



Both parent birds engage in the 

 task of feeding the young upon 

 small caterpillars and other forms 

 of insect life. Should any object 

 calculated to excite the suspicion of 

 the male happen to be near the 

 nest when he returns he may some- 



of our rarest resident 

 British birds. It received 

 its popular name through 

 being discovered by Dr. 

 Latham on Bexley Heath, 

 near Dartford, in 1773. 

 This species inhabits furze- 

 clad commons and heaths in the south 

 of England, and has rarely been met 

 with breeding on the northern side of 

 the Thames. 



The male sings on the wing, and like 

 its relative, the common whitethroat, 

 goes through many grotesque antics 

 whilst doing so. In the spring he is 

 particularly vociferous about sunset, 

 whilst perched on the topmost spray 

 of a furze-bush. If disturbed, he 

 slips down into the thickest cover 

 available, and, flying stealthily to 



101 



