Page:The British Warblers A History with Problems of Their Lives - 7 of 9.djvu/41

 eggs is from June 18th to 24th. Nests with eggs have been found in Somersetshire on June 26th, in Buckinghamshire on June 14th, in Surrey on June 14th, in Kent on June 22nd, and in Cambridgeshire on June 14th. As far then as can be gathered from these records, the last week in May and the first week in June is the normal period of arrival in England, whereas the last week in April and the first week in May is the normal period of arrival of the Reed Warbler—so that, broadly speaking, the former bird may be said to be one month later in arriving at its breeding quarters than the latter. Nevertheless it is improbable that the period of arrival is confined solely to these two weeks. The migration is, doubtless, a far more protracted affair, and if we possessed sufficient records we should very likely find individuals still arriving in the middle of June. I am arguing from my experience of other species, of the Reed Warbler especially, and also from the conditions which prevail in the North of Holland where males continue to arrive up to the middle of June. The species is not sufficiently plentiful in England to enable one to reach a very definite conclusion. In the case of the Reed Warbler observation shows that the period of arrival extends to upwards of a month—that is to say until the latter part of May, and it would therefore seem as if the first of the Marsh Warblers and the last of the Reed Warblers reach their destination approximately at the same time. We will now turn our attention to the Continent. In the Island of Texel my experience is that they may be looked for in the early part of June, but even as late as the 20th of that month fresh arrivals are still in evidence appropriating territories in the various spinneys and osier beds. Denmark is reached towards the end of May, but Heligoland is passed on migration according to Gätke at the commencement of that month. The South of France witnesses their return as early as the end of March or the beginning of April. Naumann states that in Germany they commence to sing during the first week in May, and Dr. Otto Herman informs me that they may be expected in Hungary