250 BIRDS AND MAN 



had unhappily long been extinct in the county. 

 Now it happened that among those just behind 

 us there was another local naturalist, also well 

 known outside his own county — Mr. B., let us 

 call him. When I separated from my companion 

 this gentleman came to my side, and said that he 

 had overheard some of our talk, and he wished 

 me to know that Mr. A. was in error in 

 saying that the Dartford warbler was extinct 

 in the county. There was one small colony of 

 three or four pairs to be found at a spot ten 

 to eleven miles from where we then were ; and 

 he would be glad to take me to the place and 

 show me the birds. The existence of this small 

 remnant had been known for several years to 

 half-a-dozen persons, who had jealously kept 

 the secret ; — to their great regret they had had 

 to keep it from their best friend and chief 

 supporter of their Society, Mr. A., simply 

 because it would not be safe with him. He was 

 enthusiastic about the native bird life, the 

 number of species the county could boast, etc., 

 and sooner or later he would incautiously speak 

 about the Dartford warbler, and the wealthy 

 local collectors would hear of it, with the result 



