White Throat 273 



THE WHITE THROAT (GURUCA 

 GINERREA. 



THIS bird is very commonly distributed over all 

 parts of the country, frequenting hedges, whin 

 covers, thickets of brushwood, the outskirts of 

 plantations and the garden ; but the older and more 

 retired woods, and a country road or lane can scarcely 

 be travelled during the early part of summer, without 

 being enlivened by this pretty warbler, flitting out from 

 the hedge or brushwood, uttering its few notes of alarm 

 or song with erected crest, and again for a short space 

 concealing itself. At other times the song is uttered 

 during a short and peculiar flight above its retreat, and 

 which being completed, it descends, hides, and continues 

 to utter a few low irregular notes in cover. The nest is 

 also of the same careless structure with those of the 

 Blackcap and Prettychaps ; indeed this manner of 

 building seems, to a certain extent, characteristic of all 

 the currucae ; the nest being loosely constructed of 

 straws, roots, etc., the lining by no means warm or very 

 compact — that of the White-throat is placed generally 

 in a low bush, or among strong and tall herbaceous 

 plants. Over the British Isles this bird is plentifully 

 distributed, extending northward to the extremity of the 

 mainland. 



On the Continent it is equally plentiful ; and may be 

 found in goodly numbers in the Mediterranean or Grecian 

 Archipelago. Upper parts and auriculars yellowish 

 brown ; tinged with grey between the bill and the eyes, 

 and a streak over each of the latter with yellowish white ; 

 the wings and tail are pale umber brown, having the 

 tertials broadly edged with reddish or yellowish brown ; 

 the edge of the outer quill white ; the tail is more rounded 

 than usual, or slightly cunealed, and the outer feather 

 has the outer web, and often a portion of the inner, 

 white ; the throat and centre of the belly are white, 

 shading to yellowish white over the flanks ; the breast 

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