GRASSHOPPER.WAEBLEK.— DARTFORD WARBLER. 69 



to ascertain froia whence the sound proceeds, which may 

 perhaps be accounted for by the habit which the bird has 

 while uttering its note of turning its head in all directions. 

 I once watched a Grasshopper- Warbler from a seat in a 

 summerhouse, not more than eight or ten yards distant from 

 it, and was surprised to see that, while pouring forth its 

 note, its raouth appeared to be wide open, and I could not 

 detect the slightest movement o£ either mandible, but it 

 might have been too rapid for my eye to follow. During all 

 this time it kept up a constant quivering with its wings. 



DARTFOED WARBLER. 



MelizopMlus undatus. 



This bird is found locally in many parts of the South 

 Downs, where it is resident. I have also frequently seen 

 it when shooting in turnips near the northern slope of those 

 hills, and have traced it from Dover to the Land's End. 



It is occasionally found on furzy commons further in- 

 land. It is not so abundant in the locality named as it 

 formerly was, partly owing to the nests having of late years 

 been taken in considerable numbers, and to heavy snows 

 having broken down the furze. 



Mr. Knox mentions a nest having been taken on the 

 3rd of May, 1844, on the " Broyle," near Chichester. 



In the 'Zoologist' (p. 3113) Mr. Ellman gives an in- 

 teresting account of the manners of the Dartford Warbler, 

 and mentions a female shot by him on the 12th of October, 

 ,and a male, on the 7th of November, 1851. Mr. Wilson 

 states, in the same journal (p. 6606), that in the neighbour- 

 hood of Worthing, a male and female were taken in the 

 summer of 1853, a male in 1857, and young in 1858. At 



