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CHAPTER XXXVII 



WARBLKRS. ACCENTORS. ETC. 



SUB-FAMILY SYLVIID^ 



The WliilclIiriKil, Sylnin cinvrcn (Mdri/.). 



arrives in Ajii-il. and usually lca\es Uiwaids 



I he fUil of SepU'nilxT, ti( 



Whltethroat. '''"^^T '» Africa. It is the 



most coininon of all the 

 Warlilcrs in l-aif^laiid. It generally frequents 

 hedgerows, gardens, the edges of wooils, 

 tliickets, or any brushwood, where it may he 

 seen sitting on a spray of the branilile, through 

 which a clump of nettles is growing. I'his is 

 a favourite nesting-place, though any low 

 thick herbage or hedge-bank is also chosen. 

 Owing to its nest often being suspended in llie 

 nettles the \Vhitethroat has gained in many 

 country districts the name of " Nettle Creeper." 

 The bird has a habit of raising the feathers on 

 the top of its head like a crest when i)erched, 

 whence il will rise lluttering in the air to a 

 licight of sometimes about .30 feet, singing ils 

 merry lillle song, and then suddenly and 

 silently drop to the busli. AVheii dislurbed, 

 I hough kee|)ing out <if sight, t lu' Whilelhroat 

 gives a continual alarm call. 



The bird is very sprighlly, ralhcr slighlly 

 huill. and about 5^, inches in Icnglli. The 

 beak is horn-lirown. the bead and neck slalv- 

 grey ; I he back grey. dcc|)ly linge<l with brown : 

 Ihr lail. dark greyish-brown, slighlly edged 

 wilh ))alc umber-brown, Ihe two ouler feathers 

 being greyish-while, which arc dislinclly per- 

 ceptible in lligbl. 'I'lie wintis arc dark brown, 

 each feallier being edged willi a light und)cr- 

 brown. The throat and ahdomcn arc while; 

 the breast, sides and \cnl \ cry pale grey, 

 delicalely tinted with a beautiful rosy-|)iuk. 



In cajjlivity Ihe colour brightens with age, 

 and we i)rcsume the sanu' is the case with birds 

 at liberty. The colours of the frmah' aic more 

 subdued, parlicularly the edging to the (|uills. 

 and Ihe |)inkisli tint on the breast is sonu'tinu's 

 entirely absent. During the winter months 

 the slaty-colour of the head and pinkish tint 

 on the breast of I lie mate birds disappear. I lie 

 colour resembling Ihen that of a hen, the 

 summer i)luniage being regained the following 

 spring. 



The ^Vlli(etllroal takes readilv to cage life, 



and does well on the fciod recommended for the 

 Itedslart, and may also be kejit and shown 

 in similar cages to that bird. II can also lie 

 hand-reared in the same way as ilescribeil for 

 a Wheatear. In its wild state the Whitethroat 

 feeds entirely on insects, small green cater- 

 pillars and small fruits. .\ supply of these 

 should therefore be given with ripe fruit in 

 season during the winter, fruit lieing very 

 beneficial to all such birds in captivity. 



The exhibition i)oints of the Whitethroat 

 are good size and colour, perfect plumage, and 

 superb condition. With tliese essentials, where 

 a class is given for the more common small 

 insectivorous birds, it is not at all a bad ex- 

 liibition bird, and is an interesting pet. 



The Lesser Whitethroat, Si/li'ia curnica 



(A'c«'/o/!), is aiiolhcr summer visitor. Iiul is 



not so widely distriliuled as 



wu^.^K^^^'i llie Whilethroal. It is most 



Whitethroat. 



numerous in llie Southern 



and Midland counties, and is of a more retiring 

 nature, though nesting in similar sit ual ions, 

 and low lliick hedgerows. As ils name indii'alcs, 

 it is a smaller bird, tliough not to any remark- 

 able extent, being just o\er ."> inchrs in length. 

 The Lesser Whiletliroat has the bastard- 

 primaries longer I ban the primary-coverts, in 

 whicli il dilTers from the Conimon Whitethroat. 

 Ill ciiliiur. llie liead, nape, and riim|i, are light 

 tiliiisli-j^iey ; back, mouse-gi-ey ; wings and 

 lail, brocali-brown ; coM'rts edged with yellow- 

 ish-brown ; Ihe outer web and tips of llie 

 three exterior lail feathers white; lliroat ami 

 centre of abdomen pure white, with a reddish 

 lint on the breast and sides, and a shade of pink 

 over the whole ; Hanks, yellowish-brown, shaded 

 Willi ])ink. The female dilTers from the male 

 by having Ihe brown on llie baik exteiubd lo 

 the crown, and is more snlidued in lone through- 

 out, and siualler. 



This eleganl lillle bird is well worth keeping, 

 as it will become very tame and attached to 

 Ihe person who a! tends it. lis song also, 

 lliougli rather wi-ak. is full of xariety and \ery 

 pleasing. The same food and canes as fo|- Ihe 

 |)receding bird ai'<' suilalde. and the fiiiil and 



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