THE DARTFORD WARBLER. 



Sylvia provincialis, Temminck. 



This is one of the least known among the British 

 Warblers. It is rather larger than the common 

 Wren, but much longer by reason of its tail, 

 which is one half its length nearly. It is called 

 the Dartford Warbler from having been first dis- 

 covered in England near that place. 



Mr. Sweet says it is " one of the rarest of the 

 British species of this tribe, but mentioned by 

 Montagu as not uncommon about Kingsbridge, 

 Devon, and in the neighbourhood of Truro, Corn- 

 wall : it is also occasionally met with on Bexley 

 Heath, near Dartford, Kent ; also on Blackheath, 

 and on Wandsworth and Wimbledon Commons ; 

 where it is said to breed in the furze-bushes, and 

 feeds on grasshoppers, moths, butterflies, cater- 

 pillars, ants, and various other insects.* 



The habits of this bird are very little known. 

 Dr. Latham informs us several were shot in the 

 winter of 1783, on a common near Wandsworth 

 in Surrey ; from which circumstance that author 

 very justly observes, that if it is found here only as 

 a winter migrant, he cannot reconcile the circum- 

 stance of its breeding in France, (which has been 

 said to be the case,) as all migatory birds go north- 



* British Warblers. 



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