BRITISH WARBLERS 
He follows, then, closely in her wake as she wanders 
through the hedgerow, often uttering his peculiar hissing 
note. But as his excitement increases he appears upon the 
top of the hedge or the thicket in which he happens to be, 
and contracting all his feathers, excepting those on his head, 
which he raises, and on his throat which he swells out, thus 
giving himself the appearance of a bird with a head too large 
in proportion to its body, he commences to sing or warble 
violently. Thus he performs for a short time, then again 
goes in search of the female, disappearing rapidly into the 
bushes. After a few moments he again appears, behaving 
in a similar manner, or displaying his excitement by his aerial 
dance. This dance is really very pretty, and can often be 
seen during the summer months. Rising in the air to some 
height, he spreads out his tail, erects his head feathers, and, 
while singing, commences his dancing flight, as if suspended 
on an elastic thread, gradually making his way lower and lower 
down until he finally darts back again into the hedgerow. 
The periods during which in his wild and headlong flight 
he almost precipitates himself on to the female occur fre- 
quently, but only in the moments of his most frenzied 
excitement. When this takes place the female may be either 
in the dense undergrowth or in some small bush almost 
hidden from view, or she may be in a more open position. 
He settles on a branch a little distance above her, and here 
for a few moments he will remain watching intently. He 
contracts all his body feathers, but in striking contrast erects 
his head feathers, and, almost lying upon the branch in his 
anxiety to get a glimpse of her below, continuously gives 
utterance to a quiet purring note. ‘Then suddenly he com- 
mences his mad flight. Leaving the branch he precipitates 
himself towards her, and upon reaching the topmost twigs 
of the bush or undergrowth swerves upwards, turns in the 
air, and again darts towards her. Thus he continues for 
a short time, flying backwards and forwards, singing inter- 
mittently. But he does not always turn in the air, for 
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