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Dartford Warbler: Photo: J. Dietrich via Wikimedia Commons
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In the July, 1859, edition of The Ibis, quarterly magazine of the British Ornithologists' Union appeared the following Letter to The Editor from a resident of Brighton in East Sussex.
Sir
I trouble you with a few remarks upon the Dartford
Warbler (Sylvia provincialis), a bird not uncommon on
the south coast, and near Brighton, particularly in the autumn.
five on the 30th of November, 1858, which I saw in the meat.
Two of these were cocks and two hens; the other I do not
remember.
At that period of the year you can get a good view
of them, and again in the spring.
In general they are too shy, keeping low in furze.
If there is a whitethorn bush in the latter they always fly to it, and sitting on the top, cry pur , pur , pur , swelling out the feathers of the throat.
The hen in autumn plumage appears lighter and smaller than the cock.
These little birds care not for snow, but, under the thick furze, they are warm and comfortable.
Near Brighton, they may be shot within a mile or less
of the houses - this I take to be exceptional.
The spring plumage of Sylvia provincialis is much darker than the autumn; the bird appears almost a different species.
On the 6th of April, 1859, I saw a cock lately killed.
The beak of this specimen was quite denuded of feathers on the under mandible.
Mr. Swaysland and I compared the beak with that of one killed the previous autumn.
This was well clothed, and we could only explain the circumstance by supposing the bird to dig in the ground.
During frost, the earth would be soft at the roots of the furze.
I am told that this appearance of the under mandible is common to specimens killed in spring.
Probably some of your readers may be able to confirm the circumstance I have mentioned, which I do not find recorded by any ornithological writer.
the Short-toed Lark (Alauda brachydactyla) having been ob¬
tained near Brighton.
I saw one alive on September 26th, 1854, which had been caught by boys on the Downs, and kept in confinement some time, not having been distinguished from the Skylark.
This bird cracked seeds like a Canary, instead of swallowing them whole.
It was very tame, and was ultimately killed and stuffed.
The second specimen was killed in April, 1858, on the seashore by a person, who saw it come to land and alight, after a short rest, upon the road, where it immediately began dusting itself.
I did not see this bird, but my informant was the person who killed it, and one who is quite trustworthy
It was afterwards preserved.
George Dawson Bowley
5 Peel Terrace
Brighton
Sussex
8th April, 1859
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