COMMON WHITETHROAT. 291 



against a Nightingale, now in the beginning of January, and 

 it will not suffer itself to be outdone ; when the Nightingale 

 raises its voice, it also does the same, and tries its utmost to 

 get above it ; sometimes in the midst of its song it will run 

 up to the Nightingale, and stretch out its neck as if in de- 

 fiance, and Avhistle as loud as it can, staring it in the face ; 

 if the Nightingale attempts to peck it, away it is in an in- 

 stant, flying round the aviary, and singing all the time. It 

 is readily taken in a trap baited with a living caterpillar or 

 butterfly. One that I caught last spring sung the third day 

 after being in confinement, and continued to sing all throudi 

 the summer ; but this was most likely in consequence of a 

 tame one being with it, which also sung at the same time." 



The Whitethroat is plentiful in summer in the southern 

 counties of England from Sussex to Cornwall ; and, according 

 to Mr. Thompson, is a regular summer visiter throughout 

 Ireland. Northward from London it may be traced to 

 Northumberland and Durham ; but appears to decrease in 

 numbers in northern counties. Mr. Rennie is mentioned as 

 having seen it in Argyleshire ; and Mr. Selby observed it in 

 two localities in Sutherlandshire. 



The Whitethroat visits Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Rus- 

 sia, and Siberia ; it is also common during summer in Ger- 

 many, Holland, France, Provence, Spain, Sardinia, and 

 Italy, remaining in the more southern countries from April 

 to October. Mr. Strickland saw it at Smyrna ; and the 

 Zoological Society have received specimens from Trebizond. 



The beak is brown ; the irides hazel ; the head and neck 

 smoke-grey, tinged with brown ; the back, wing-coverts, and 

 upper tail-coverts, reddish brown ; quill-feathers blackish 

 brown ; secondaries and tertials broadly edged with bright 

 chestnut ; great part of the outer tail-feather on each side 

 dull white, and rather shorter than the rest ; all the others 

 dark brown, with lighter margins ; chin and throat white ; 



u 2 



