360 SYLVIA GARRULA. 



Wood Wrens, and the Greater White-throat, dart into the air 

 after insects in the very same way. The little fellow ceased 

 his song when he observed me, and sought the middle of the 

 hedge, where he remained till I left my place. I teased him 

 thus for about twenty minutes. He had young ones at the 

 time. It was about the beginning of July that I observed that 

 both the Greater and the Lesser White-throats made excursions 

 into fields of growing wheat and beans. In the former case 

 they settle on the stalk near to the ear, which they diligently 

 examine. The Wheat Fly, Cecidomyia tritici, at this season 

 deposits its eggs between the glumes of the corn, and we may 

 reasonably suppose that the White-throats devour this destruc- 

 tive insect, in doing which they must confer a great benefit on 

 the farmer, so far as their influence extends. After this I 

 shall never grudge them a few currants. But this is not all, 

 for besides destroying vast numbers of other insects which feed 

 on the honey contained in the nectary of the bean, I have seen 

 their little mouths filled with the black or collier Aphides, 

 which often commit much damage by adhering to the top of 

 the field bean, and sucking its juices, so that sometimes fruit, 

 leaves, and stem perish. This bird prefers the Red currant to all 

 other fruits. It departs about the 8th or 10th of September." 



Mr Weir also informs me that in the end of May 1888, 

 while watching the habits of the Missel Thrush, he observed 

 in a plantation belonging to Mr Gillon of Wallhouse, a male 

 Lesser Whitethroat singing upon the branch of an elm tree. 

 It allowed him to go within about ten yards of it, so that he 

 could not be mistaken as to the species. 



On the continent this species is said to be generally distri- 

 buted, proceeding as far north a& Sweden, but in all the dis- 

 tricts migratory. It is distinguished from the White-throated 

 Warbler, by having the lower parts of a much j)urer white, the 

 uj)per of a tint approaching to deep grey, the secondary quills 

 destitute of rufous margins, and the feet dark bluish-grey. 



Young. — The young when fledged resemble the female. 



