22 



Case 1 64. 



LESSER WHITETHROAT [Sylvia curmca). 

 Local name : Hazel Linnet. 



A common summer immigrant, arriving about the middle of April 

 and remaining as late as the beginning of October. It frequents high 

 and thick hedges and shrubberies, and is occasionally seen in lofty 

 trees, but is seldom found in large woods. Its food is mainly the 

 various stages of insects, and when these are scarce, fruit and berries. 

 The nest is frequently found in low branches, and is compactly built 

 of strong stalks, lined with fibrous roots and horsehair. The eggs, 

 four to five in number, are white, blotched and speckled over, mostly 

 at the larger end, with deep olive brown (see British Bird Egg Cabinet, 

 drawer 2). 



Case 1 65. 



GRASSHOPPER WARBLER [Locustella nrnvia). 

 Local name : Reeler. 



A summer visitor arriving from the South about the middle of 

 April, and departing in September. Being shy and restless in its 

 habits, secreting itself in the thickest vegetation, a patch of furze or a 

 hedge bottom, it is at all times difficult to obtain a glimpse of this bird. 

 The nest, built in May, is placed on the ground well hidden among 

 thick herbage. It is approached by one or more mouse-like runs, and 

 along these the bird, when alarmed, creeps back to her eggs. These 

 are from five to seven in number, pinkish-white, thickly zoned and 

 speckled with darker reddish-brown (see British Bird Egg Cabinet, 

 drawer 2). 



Case 166. 



COMMON NIGHT- JAR or GOATSUCKER (Caprinmlgus europwus). 

 Local names : Night-hawk, Fern Owl, Evening Jar, Jenny Spinner. 



The Night-jar is a summer visitant to the woods and mosses of our 

 local area, and to most parts of the United Kingdom, arriving in 

 numbers towards the end of May, and migrating again in September 

 or somewhat later. It occurs over all Europe. The Night-jar, which 

 flies in the twilight when it utters a peculiar " jarring " or " churring " 

 note, feeds chiefly on insects. This bird makes no nest, laying its two 

 eggs (see British Bird Egg Cabinet, drawer 6) on the bare ground in 

 the beginning of June. A very characteristic habit of this species is 

 here illustrated. When alarmed by the approach of strangers in the 

 neighbourhood of the nest, the bird goes fluttering along as if wounded, 

 thereby enticing the strangers, not knowing this habit, to follow. The 

 bird always leads away from the nest. 



