The Lesser Whitethroat. 67 



scattered ; and, lastly, in some clutches the spots are rather small and sprinkled 

 over the entire surface. 



Although I have found few birds so easily put off the nest before the 

 completion of the clutch, no sooner has the hen commenced incubation than she 

 becomes a very close sitter, only leaving her eggs at the last moment, when 

 satisfied that her death-like inaction has failed to protect them from the intruder; 

 even then she does not move far away, but fidgets about in the scrub, scolding; 

 in this pastime she is freqiiently accompanied by the male bird which is usually 

 within earshot, and promptly appears on the scene to investigate the cause of his 

 consort's ill temper. 



. The food of the Lesser Whitethroat consists of small insects and their larvae, 

 spiders, soft berries and small fruits, more particularly currants and cherries. Its 

 flight is undulating. Mr. Blyth (Field Naturalist, Vol. I. p. 306) says of the 

 " babillard or Lesser Whitethroat " : — " He seems — to be always in such high 

 spirits as not to know how to contain himself, taking frequently a long circuitous 

 flight from tree to tree, and back again a dozen times, seemingly for no other 

 purpose than mere exercise ; but he never mounts singing into the air like the 

 Whitethroat." 



Gatke speaking of it in Heligoland, says that " Only solitary examples of 

 this pretty little songster are met with on this island ; it is the earliest arrival 

 among its nearer relatives during the spring migration, almost always making its 

 appearance as early as the first days of April, even if the weather is still raw, 

 and completes its migration by the middle of May. In the autumn, when it 

 occurs still more sparingly, it may be seen from the latter half of September till 

 towards the end of October, and at times also somewhat later." 



As a cage-bird the Lesser Whitethroat is not especially interesting ; never- 

 theless, if its song is not particular!}- attractive, I agree with Herr Mathias 

 Rausch that it has the merit of zeal (Vide ' Gefiederte Welt,' 1891, p. 342) 

 " inasmuch as, even in confinement, it sings the whole day long." However, 

 I have not personally had the pleasure of keeping a fully adult male of this 

 little warbler. 



In June, 1887, I came across a nest of Lesser Whitethroats, evidently only 

 about three daj's old ; and, so anxious was I to discover what they would be 

 like in captivity, that I took the nest and attempted the difficult task of rearing 

 them. With such young birds it was not only necessary to cover them up care- 

 fully with warm flannel every evening, after giving them their last meal ; but I 

 had to turn out of bed at sunrise to give them their first breakfast ; no pleasant 

 task at midsummer ! I persevered, however, feeding them regularly on moistened 



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