38 



WHITETHROAT. 



all over Great Britain and Ireland, though it is scarcer 

 in the north of Scotland. It reaches us at the end of 

 April, the males arriving a few days before the females. 

 It is a bird of the lanes, and likes to keep out of sight, 

 among the hedgerows and thick foliage. The song of 

 the Whitethroat has been much maligned on account 

 of its harshness, but it nevertheless has some very 

 sweet notes, which have gained it many friends. It 

 feeds upon flies and insects — the " daddy long legs " is 

 a great favourite with it, but after its young are hatched 

 it betakes itself to the gardens and orchards, where it 

 does its best to thin down the fruit. 



WHITETHROAT. 



The upper parts of the Whitethroat are greyish 

 brown ; the throat is pure white, shading off to greyish 

 white on the breast. Though retiring birds, they are not 

 shy ; according to Morris they delight to mob cats, 

 and if one makes its appearance, they will keep up 

 their note of alarm until it has retreated. 



Like many other birds the Whitethroat will some- 

 times feign lameness or illness in order to draw an 

 intruder away from its nest. Meyer relates a tale of 



