THE LESSER WHITETHROAT 47 



The Lesser Whitethroat apparently pairs after 

 its arrival in this country. It is a somewhat late 

 breeder, the eggs being laid in May or June. The 

 nest is not commenced until the vegetation affords it 

 ample concealment. The favourite site for the nest 

 is amongst briars and brambles, less frequently near 

 the top of a thick hedge or in a gorse-bush. It is 

 nothing like so deep as that of the Common White- 

 throat, but is equally slight and flimsy-looking, a 

 mere net through which the eggs may often be 

 readily perceived. It is made chiefly of fine round 

 dry grass-stalks, skilfully interwoven with the sur- 

 rounding twigs, and often bound together with 

 cocoons and roots, and lined with a little horse-hair. 

 The nest much more closely resembles that of the 

 Garden Warbler and the Blackcap, than that of the 

 Common Whitethroat, its shallowness being its chief 

 distinguishing characteristic. We have frequently 

 noticed, both in the present species and the Black- 

 cap, that nest after nest will be commenced and left 

 unfinished, deserted for no apparent reason, just as 

 is often the case with the Wren. The eggs of the 

 Lesser Whitethroat are from four to six in number, 

 pure white or pale buff in ground-colour, blotched 

 and spotted with various shades of olive-brown and 

 grey. As usual most of the spots are round the 

 large end of the ^^^g. In general appearance they 

 resemble those of the Garden Warbler rather than 

 those of the Common Whitethroat. This White- 



