THE BIRD-LIFE OF LONDON 
preference for trees, its habits otherwise closely resemble 
those of the preceding species. ‘This propensity for the 
higher vegetation is the reason the bird is so frequently 
overlooked and thought to be much rarer and more local 
than it really is. It has the same restless disposition, 
the same secretive ways, as its larger congener. Fre- 
quently it may be seen to flutter out from some tree into 
the air in chase of an insect. Its song is nothing nearly 
so sweet as that of the common Whitethroat, and consists 
of a few twittering notes, often uttered during flight ; its 
call-note is a grating tec-tec. ‘The food of this species 1s 
largely composed of insects and larve, especially aphides ; 
and the smaller garden fruits, such as currants and rasp- 
berries, are greedily sought. ‘The nesting season is in 
May and June. ‘The nest is often built quite close to 
the ground, amongst brambles or gorse and similar matted 
vegetation, but at other times is placed in a tall thick 
hedge. It is not so deep as that of the common White- 
throat, but made on the same flimsy design, outwardly of 
grass stalks and bents and inwardly of horsehair. ‘The 
four or five eggs range from white to buff in ground colour, 
blotched and freckled with greenish brown and grey, and 
occasionally scratched with dark brown. ‘The eggs are a 
little smaller than those of the preceding, and the spots 
are more clearly defined. But one brood is reared. 
The adult Lesser Whitethroat is pale slate-grey above, 
with a brownish tinge on the back and ear-coverts; the 
wings and tail are brown, the inner secondaries with pale 
brown margins, and the outer feathers of the latter tipped 
with white; the under parts are pale brown, shading into 
white on the throat, centre of the abdomen, and under tail- 
coverts. ‘The female closely resembles the male in colour. 
Bill dark slate-grey, paler at the base of the lower mandible ; 
tarsi and toes slate-grey ; irides pale brown. Length 
54 inches. ‘The nestling closely resembles the adult in 
general coloration. 
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