DENTIROSTKES. 



131 



" The Dartford Warbler, like the white-throat, will sometimes sus- 

 pend itself on wing- over the furze, singing- the whole time, but is more 

 frequently observed on the uppermost spray, in vocal strain for half an 

 hour tog-ether. 



" BufFon, who appears to have been the first, if not the only person 

 on the Continent, who knew any thing- of the Dartford Warbler as a 

 naturalist, seems to have known very little more than that such a bird 

 existed, and that it had been found in Provence, (as his name of Le 

 Pitchou de Provence evinces,) but he knew nothing of its habits. If he 

 had not fig-ured in it Pla. enl, 655, f. i. it would scarcely be conceived 

 that the history given by that author could be intended for this species. 



" These birds are not, as we at first supposed, confined to the south of 

 Devon, contig-uous to the coast, but have been observed in the more 

 central parts of that county. In the autumn of 1809, several were 

 noticed by Mr. Comyns, at least fifteen miles north of Exeter, amongst 

 furze, one of which was shot, and sent to us for examination. 



" We find, by recent observation, the Dartford Warbler is rather an 

 early breeder, so that they either breed twice in the summer, or some 

 accident must have caused their breeding- so late as that before men- 

 tioned. In 1805, we observed a pair of these birds carrying food in 

 their bills early in the month of May ; from which, and their continual 

 vociferations, there could be no doubt of their having- young, and it was 

 also evident the young had quitted their nest, and were sculking 

 amongst the thick furze. Carefully did we examine every part for the 

 nest, where the birds were most clamorous, but in vain; but there was 

 no doubt that the young were frequently very near, by the temerity of 

 the parent birds. The artifices these little creatures made to induce 

 us to follow them, in order to entice us from the spot, were highly 

 amusing. Their usual cry was changed into a scream of distress ; they 

 would almost sufFer the hand to touch them, and then fall from the 

 spray, and tumble along the ground, as if fluttering in their last struggle 

 for existence." 



Mr. Sweet says, " it is occasionally met with on Bexley Heath, near 

 Dartford, Kent ; and also on Blackheath, and on Wandsworth and 

 Wimbledon Common, where it is said to build in the furze bushes." 

 Mr. Bennet, the Vice- Secretary of the Zoological Society, had recently 

 a pair of nestlings from the latter place, but they did not live long. 

 I have once seen a pair on the wing on Shooters' Hill, and another 

 singing on Blackheath.* 



DAW. — A name for the Jack Daw. 



DENTIROSTRES (Cuvier.)—* A group of birds whose bills are 

 indented or toothed.* 



k 2 



