WRENS. 139 



on the inner parts of the branches of thick furze- 

 bushes. 



Distribution. — Southernmost counties of England, 

 and some of the south-eastern and midland coun- 

 ties. 



The Furze- Wren is a tiny, short-winged, long- 

 tailed bird, nesting, as its name denotes, in furze- 

 bushes ; and, for a bird of the open, it is of singularly 

 skulking habits. It also frequents reed -beds. It 

 creeps about bushes like the Common Wren in search 

 of its insect-food, sometimes appearing suddenly above 

 cover, as if thrown up into the air from below, but 

 after short, jerky fluttering it drops again into 

 hiding. When perching it clings to the top of a 

 reed or the tip of a furze-shoot, and is never still 

 for a moment. As it flits from the top of one bush 

 to that of another the short wings beat rapidly, and 

 the flight is dipping, the tail being fanned as the bird 

 alights. If not seen, the Furze- Wren may betray its 

 presence by a beautifully clear ' Pit-tiu .' ' or a repeated, 

 low, scolding ' Oha ! ' Spring and autumn are the 

 times when this bird is most in evidence ; at the 

 former it must up to the topmost spray of a furze- 

 bush to fire off with excited antics its jerky little 

 song ; in the autumn it may be seen among the root- 

 crops or inshore by the sea. In its impetuous and 

 inconsequent ways, as also in the character of its song, 

 the Furze- Wren recalls the Whitethroat. Though so 

 inconspicuous in its garb, this is fortunately so dark, 

 the bird itself is so small, and the tail, which is 

 habitually fanned, is so long that identification of the 

 Dartford Warbler in its furzy haunts is not difficult 



