BIRDS exhibited by Mr. N. F. Ticehurst at the British Ornithologists' Club on May 19 of that year. 28. Melodious Warbler. Hypokis pohglotta (Vieillot). In the Zoologist for July, 1897, Mr. N. Ticehurst mentioned the occurrence of a small warbler which had been taken on April 30 of that year at Burwash, and which he suggested might belong to this species. The bird itself was afterwards sent by Mr. G. Bristow, the owner, to Mr. Howard Saunders, who corroborated Mr. Ticehurst's view and identified it as belonging to this species. A second specimen, a male, was shot at Ninfield on May 11, 1900, and identified by Mr. Butterfield. This bird has also been examined by Mr. H. Saunders {Ibis, 1900, p. 569). 29. Reed -Warbler. Acrocephalus strepcrus (Vieillot). Common in suitable localities where large reed and willow beds are to be found. 30. Great Reed-Warbler. Acrocephalus tur- doides (Meyer). Mr. Borrer includes this species amongst the birds of Sussex on the authority of Mr. JefFery, who states that he saw one in Ratham garden on July 26, 1885. 31. Sedge- Warbler. Acrocephalus phragmitis (Bechstein). Very common in the summer months. Like several of the reed-warblers it sings throughout the night, and is an excellent mimic. 32. Aquatic Warbler. Acrocephalus aquaticus (J. F. Gmelin). The first example of this warbler which occurred in England was one obtained by Mr. Pratt of Brighton at Hove on October 19, 1853. It passed into the collection of Mr. Borrer, where I have lately seen it. 33. Grasshopper-Warbler. Locustella navia (Boddaert). A somewhat uncommon but regular mi- grant to Sussex. I have seen this species twice in six years, both times near Rusper. It is however fairly numerous on the commons south of Pulburough. 34. Hedge - Sparrow. Accentor ynodularis (Linn.) Locally, Hedge Mike, Hedge Betty (M. J. NicoU). Very common everywhere. 35. Alpine Accentor. Accentor collaris (Sco- poli). Two specimens of the Alpine accentor are recorded in Yarrell as having been shot near Hailsham on December 26, 1857, and Borrer also states that he watclied one for some time on his lawn at Cowfold. 36. Dipper. Cinclus aquaticus, Bechstein. A rare visitor. 37. Bearded Reedling. Panurus biarnucus (Linn.) Formerly this beautiful species was resident and breeding within the county, and Borrer mentions that bearded tits had bred near Amberley about 1844, and that it also nested regularly near Lancing. Now it has de- parted with the great reed beds and rarely occurs even as a straggler. Mr. Meade- Waldo saw a small flock near East Grinstead in 1892. 38. Long-tailed Tit. Acreduta caudata (Linn.) Common and resident. 39. Great Tit. Parus major, Linn. Very abundant. 40. Coal-Tit. Parus atcr, Linn. Very common in all the fir woods of the county. 41. Marsh-Tit. Parus pa lustris, Linn. Although this species is not supposed to love the neighbourhood of marshes and its title is considered by many to be somewhat a misnomer, yet it is indubitably more common in the swampy places of St. Leonards Forest than in any other part of Sussex. It prefers to go about in pairs, though occasionally hanging on to the outskirts of a winter flock of longtail, great, coal and blue tits. On a recent visit to Mr. Ernst Hartert at Tring, that excellent naturalist showed me some marsh-tits shot by Mr. Butterfield near St. Leonards whose heads were suffused by a slight brown tinge and without gloss, and which he has since identified as a new British species under the name of the willow- tit [Parus tnontanus kleinschniidti)?- 1 Even if the birds are to be distinguished as a slight local variety I entirely fail to see that a slight brown tinge on the black crown of a bird is sufficient to entitle them to especial recognition. The world of naturalists is now made up of those who would condense and those who would multi- ply names and species ad infinitum, but if we are to acccept Parus tnontanus kleinschmidti, how can we possibly fail to name the forty-two different types 277
