THE REED WARBLER 25 



THE DARTFORD WARBLER 



SYLVIA UNDATA 



Upper parts blackish brown ; under, purplish red ; middle of the abdomen 

 white ; tail long, dark brown, the outer feather tipped with white ; 

 wings very short ; quills ash-grey on the inner web, dark brown on the 

 outer ; feet yellowish ; bill yellowish white, with a black tip. Length 

 five inches and a half. Eggs greenish white, speckled all over, and 

 especially at the larger end, with brown and ash-grey. 



This species received its name from having been first shot on Bexley 

 Heath, near Dartford in 1773. It has since been observed on 

 furzy commons in several of the southern and western counties, 

 but is local and nowhere abundant. In its habits it resembles 

 the Stone and Furze Chats, perching on the upper sprays of the 

 furze and whitehorn, but never stiU for a minute, throwing itself into 

 various attitudes, erecting its crest and tail at intervals, frequently 

 rising into the air with most fantastic movements, catching 

 insects on the wing, and either returning to the same twig, or making 

 a short flight to some other convenient bush. The syllables 

 ' cha cha cha ' are several times repeated when the bird is irritated. 

 Its note is commonly Pitchou, hence its French name. It keeps 

 quite aloof from human habitations, and is so timid that on the 

 approach of an observer, it creeps into a bush, and remains con- 

 cealed until the danger is past. The nest of goose grass and soft 

 bits of furze, wool and moss is placed in the fork of a furze-bush 

 selected for its thickness and difficulty of access. It is somewhat 

 wandering, but may be called a resident in the South, gradually 

 extending northwards. Many specimens have been observed in 

 mid-winter, and Rennie states that he has seen one as early as the 

 end of February hovering over furze and singing like a Whitethroat. 



THE REED WARBLER 



ACROCEPIIALUS STREPERUS 



Upper parts of a uniform reddish brown, without spots ; wing-feathers brown, 

 edged with olive ; a white streak between (not over) the eye and bill ; 

 throat white ; under plumage yellowish white, the sides tinged with 

 reddish ; tail long, rounded. Length five and a half inches ; breadth 

 seven and a half. Eggs dull greenish white, speckled with olive and 

 light brown, especially towards the larger end. 



Both the Sedge and the Reed warblers are jasenses, or chatterers, with 

 rounded tails ; but the Sedge Warbler has its upper plumage 

 spotted with dark brown, and a white line above its eye, while 

 the upper plumage of the Reed Warbler is of a uniform pale brown, 

 and the light mark is absent from above the eye. The haunts and 

 habits of the two birds are precisely similar, but the Reed Warbler 

 is by far the less common of the two ; for while the Sedge Warbler 

 is sure to be found wherever the Reed Warbler has been observed, 



