DARTFORD WARBLER. 



127 



of flag's or other water-plants, but is generally fastened to the reeds or 

 flag's, in order to prevent its being- carried away by the current. Tem- 

 minck gives a similar statement. The eggs are five or six in number, 

 of a dirty white ; the shape oblong-, less than those of a pigeon. These 

 are g-enerally covered with weeds, so that when the bird quits her nest 

 suddenly they are not exposed tctview. Notwithstanding this precau- 

 tion they are frequently destroyed by the water rat. 



Mr. Pennant supposes that the quantity of vegetables collected to 

 form the nest, ferments and gives warmth to the eggs ; but we never 

 could discover the least warmth in the nest. 



* All the nests with which I have been acquainted in Kent, where 

 these birds are plentiful, have uniformly been found cold. Indeed I do 

 not think anybody, having a knowledge of chemistry, would ever adopt 

 the opinion that fermentation, sufficient to produce heat, could take 

 place in contact with a large body of water. This is not less untrue, 

 indeed, than that these nests are so constructed as to float upon the 

 water, and accommodate themselves to variations in its level.* 1 



In large rivers these birds are frequently devoured by pike and trout 

 while they are diving in pursuit of small fish. We once took from the 

 stomach of the last a water rat weighing fifteen ounces ; the trout 

 weighed only four pounds. In the spring the males are very active in 

 pursuit of the other sex, and then frequently fly along the surface of 

 the water to a small distance : at this season they also emit a shrill chat- 

 tering noise. After the breeding season, the bird is frequently seen in 

 some of our inlets of the sea, where it is said to feed on shrimps. It is 

 not uncommon in most parts of the old continent, and some parts of 

 America, particularly about Hudson's Bay. 



DAKERHEN. — A name for the Gallinule. 



DARTFORD WARBLER {Sylvia provincial, Temminck.) 



*Sylva provincialis, Temm. Man.d'Orn. l.p. 210. — Sylvia Dartfordiensis, Lath. Ind. 

 Orn. 2. p. 517. 31.— Mont. Trans. Linn. Soc. vol. 7. p. 280. and vol. 9. p. 191. 

 Curruca provincialis, Flem. p. 70. — Motacilla provincialis, Gmel. Syst. 2. p. 958. 

 67.— Le Pitte-Chou de Provence, Buff. Ois. 5. p. 158.— Ib. pi. Enl. 655. f. 1. 

 — Bec-fin Pitte-Chou, Temm. Man. d'Orn. 1. p. 211.— Dartford Warbler, Br. 

 Zool. 1. No. 161. t. 56.— Lath. Syn. 4. p. 437. 27. -Ib. Supp. p. 181.— Mont. 



Orn. Diet.— Ib. Supp.— Lewin s Br. Birds, 3. t. 106 Wale. Syn. 2. t. 237.— 



Bewick's Br. Birds, 1. 210.— Selby, pi. 46. fig. p. 180 * 



This species is rather larger than the common wren, and much 

 longer, by reason of its tail, which is one half its length nearly ; the 

 weight is about two drams and a half ; length five inches and a half. 

 Bill black, at the base of the upper mandible whitish ; the upper man- 

 dible a little curved ; irides and eyelids yellow. The whole upper parts 



1 See Plan of study in the Introduction to this Dictionary. 



