THE COMMON WHITETHROAT 41 



sometimes does this, but with the Whitethroat it is 

 a regular habit, and in our opinion one which adds 

 considerably to the beauty of the song. Starting 

 from his perch he will either soar in an irregular 

 manner for some distance, or pass from one hedge 

 or tree to another, singing all the time. These 

 song flights are by far the most frequent during the 

 first few weeks of the bird's visit to us, when love 

 and sexual rivalry are at their highest pitch. During 

 the act of singing the Whitethroat has a habit of 

 erecting the feathers on the head and throat, as it 

 will also do when excited. 



The Whitethroat, like most of its congeners, is a 

 rather late breeder, the eggs being laid during May 

 and June. The Whitethroat chooses a variety of 

 situations for its nest, but mostly close to the ground. 

 Occasionally, however, it may be seen in a tall hedge 

 six or eight feet from the ground. A favourite 

 situation is amongst nettles, or other coarse herbage, 

 amongst briars and brambles or in low bushes. A 

 dense whitethorn-hedge, or a gorse-bush, is a 

 favourite situation. The nest, which both male 

 and female assist in making, is deep and flimsy- 

 looking, although beautifully rounded inside and 

 much stronger than its appearance might suggest. 

 It is made chiefly of round dry grass-stalks (hence, 

 perhaps, the local name of " Hay-chat" often 

 applied to this species), roots, and perhaps strength- 

 ened with a few cobwebs and cocoons, finally lined 



