32 OUR MIGRANT BIRDS 



Habits. — It is a skulker and loves the densest thicket. 

 It sings from the lower branches of some bush, but 

 dislikes an audience, whereupon it croaks dismally. 

 When perched it incessantly flirts its rather long tail. 

 Food is taken on the ground. It proceeds with long hops, 

 punctuated with statuesque motionless movements. 



Food. — Insects and their larvae, spiders, small worms, 

 beetles, ants' eggs, fruit, and berries. 



Nest. — About mid-May. One brood. 



Site. — Very low down or on ground, studiously 

 concealed by dense cover, in base of small bush. 



Materials. — Dead leaves, grasses, &c. ; loosely and 

 untidily put together ; lined with fine grass, fibres, and 

 sometimes hair. 



Eggs. — Four to six. Uniform olive-brown. 



WHITETHROAT {Sylvia cinerea). 



April to September. Abundant throughout Great 

 Britain, but rarer in extreme North. 



Haunts. — Woodsides, thickets, brambly heaths, com- 

 mons, and hedgerows. Fond of nettle-beds (hence 

 Nettle-creeper). 



Plumage. — Head and neck ashy grey ; upper parts 

 greyish brown, darker on wings and tail. Breast 

 white, faintly suffused with rose. Flanks buff. Bill 

 brown. Legs pale brown. Length 5| in. Female, 

 similar, but no grey head or rosy tmge on breast. Young 

 more of a ruddy brown. 



Language. — Excitement is the key-note of its rapid, 

 erratic, love-song. Call-note, " pweet-pweet." Note 

 of anxiety, a harsh, chiding sound like "Chuck-uck- 

 uck-uck." 



