42 OUR FAVOURITE SONG BIRDS 



with a little horse-hair. The eggs are from four 

 to six in number, varying from greyish-white to 

 pale green in ground-colour, mottled, spotted, and 

 freckled with various shades of brown and grey. 

 A characteristic of these eggs is the band or zone 

 of markings, usually round the larger end. The 

 female performs most of the task of incubation — 

 lasting from eleven to thirteen days — and if dis- 

 turbed glides from her charge in a very silent 

 and stealthy manner. But one brood is reared in 

 the year, although sometimes two or more nests and 

 as many clutches of eggs have to be produced to 

 gain this end. 



Insects and their larvse, during the earlier part 

 of the summer, form the principal food of the 

 Whitethroat. But later on in the season fruits of 

 various kinds are eagerly sought for, and at this 

 time the bird is a frequent visitor to the garden. 

 It also eats the soft tender green corn with great 

 greediness, and has been known to attack a row 

 of peas. Many Insects are secured whilst the bird 

 pursues them in the air ; and we have also seen 

 it clinging to the trunks of trees searching the 

 crevices of the bark. There can be no question 

 that the Whitethroat is a very useful little bird to 

 the farmer and gardener, and we should not grudge 

 it a small share of fruit and grain in return. The 

 Whitethroat begins to moult in July and continues 

 to do so until the end of August. During this 



