146 
DARTFORD WARBLER. 
tree Warblers. The Dartford Warbler was first 
made known by Dr Latham, as an addition to 
the birds of Britain, while the indefatigable 
Montague gave us the first detailed description 
of its manners. A portion of these birds remain 
during the whole year in this country, while it 
seems also the opinion that a migration in spring 
and autumn takes place. They may, in this 
respect, resemble the Stonechat, some of which 
remain constantly with us, an accession arriving 
in spring. Their most favourite localities are 
the extensive furze or whin commons, and coverts 
in the south of England, stretching westward as 
far as Cornwall. In the north of England, Scot- 
land, and Ireland, we have no traces of the bird, 
it seems also only to be known in central and 
southern Europe, and we have no record of its 
range in any other quarter of the world. It is 
thus, so far as we know, local, but it is not so 
uncommon in some districts as has been ima- 
gined. Thus, a writer in the Magazine of Natural 
History states, that near Godaiming it is plenti- 
ful, — “ I have seen them by dozens skipping about 
the furze, lighting for a moment on the very tops 
of the sprigs, and instantly diving out of sight 
again, singing out their angry impatient ditty, 
for ever the same. While the fox-hounds have 
been driving the furze-fields, I have seen the 
tops of the furze quite alive with these birds.” * 
Then Mr Gould remarks, “ They are very shy, 
and though sometimes to be seen on the topmost 
* Magazine of Natural History. 
