200 
at.i.en’s naturalist’s library. 
Melizophilus sardus. Tt appears to be resident in most of the 
countries which it inhabits, but must be, to a certain extent, 
migratory in some parts of its range, especially as it is known 
to ascend the mountains in Southern Europe for the purpose 
of nesting, and to descend to the low country in winter. 
Habits. — The Hartford Warbler, wherever found, seems in 
England to be an inhabitant of the furze-covered districts, at 
least during the breeding season, and it is only in the winter that 
it may be found in such places as turnip-fields or in the vicinity 
of the coast. It is pronounced by every observer to be a bird 
of feeble flight, and it is, therefore, curious to note that on two 
occasions specimens have been procured in Heligoland. Mr. 
Howard Saunders says that in its habits it is a restless little bird, 
flitting from the top of one furze-bush to another, with a quiet 
and undulating flight, alighting in a very abrupt manner as if 
the action were the result of an afterthought, the tail being 
spread for an instant as if to aid the bird in an effort to retain 
its balance. On the wing the bird looks very dark, in fact, like 
a black, long-tailed Wren. The note which he most often heard 
uttered was a pit-it-chou, whence the French name, “Pitchou”; 
but he says that it has a scolding note, cha-cha , when the bird 
is irritated. Mr. Seebohm gives the following note on the 
habits of the species as observed by him in winter near Biarritz, 
where the birds were frequenting the reeds on the banks of a 
small lake. “ The first sight I had of one was that of a little dark 
bird with a fan-like tail suddenly appearing amongst the reeds, 
crossing a small patch where they had been cut down, and as 
suddenly and silently disappearing amongst the reeds on the 
opposite side. Occasionally, as we walked on the bank of the 
lake, we heard a loud, clear, melodious pitch-oo repeated once 
or twice amongst the reeds. The note was so musical that for a 
moment one might imagine that a Nightingale was beginning 
to strike up a tune. Now and then we saw the bird appear for 
a moment above the reeds, as if thrown up by a battledore • 
but it dropped down again and disappeared as suddenly. We 
have rarely seen so skulking a bird. Once only it flew up 
from the reeds and perched in a willow near a pair of furze- 
bushes. Like most other Warblers, this bird is very active, 
scarcely resting for a moment, except when warbling its hurried 
little song from the top of a furze-bush. It flits up the bush, 
