76 EGYPTIAN BIRDS 



shield : and this because the red-spotted species 

 goes for its breeding quarters to the most northern 

 parts of Scandinavia, whilst its white -spotted 

 cousin goes no farther north than Germany. And 

 we are told that in spite of Germany's numerous 

 and well-instructed ornithologists no case has been 

 observed of the red -spotted form ever having 

 stopped in its transit from Africa, although it 

 must pass right over the country, till it reaches 

 its nearly Arctic home. This seems to show that 

 this delicately built, tender little bird probably 

 makes its journey by night, and so high up that it 

 escapes all observation ; and when you consider the 

 vast distance from Egypt's shores to the far-away 

 mosses of Scandinavia, it is about as marvellous 

 a journey without a halt as one can conceive of. 

 Flies, insects, caterpillars, and, when it can get it, 

 fruit of any kind, form its diet. 



The Bluethroat is on the list of British birds, 

 but is one more case of a bird being so included 

 that really hardly should be, for it is but an 

 accidental visitor ; probably it never meant to 

 come to Britain and only got there by mistake, 

 when it is generally shot at sight. It is particu- 

 larly upright in its carriage and sprightly in its 

 movements ; so quick that eyes unaccustomed to 



