THE WHITETHROAT. 369 



frequent nester as far north as Dunkeld (Perth.), and farther north 

 breeds locally in Kincardine and Spey Valley. In other parts of 

 north-east chiefly known as auturon migrant, but has bred once 

 Loch Ness and near Beauly (Moray Firth). In Orkneys, Fair Isle, 

 and Shetlands fairly regular migrant in autumn (Aug. -Oct.) but 

 less so in spring. In Shetlands once attempted to breed, and 

 has probably also bred Orkiaeys. In O. Hebrides straggler. Has 

 often occurred even in north in Nov. and two or three times in 

 Dec. Ireland. — Has a wide range, breeding in many counties, but 

 in most it is scarce and even rare, being most numerous in Wicklow. 

 Fairly often occurs in winter. 



Migrations. — Great Britain. — Summer-residents begin to arrive 

 fourth week March (early dates 10, 12), main body end second week 

 April to fourth week May. Small passage-movement east coast 

 end April to mid- June. Southward movement of summer -residents 

 begins mid -August, bulk leaving during latter half Sept. ; becoming 

 merged in movement of passage-migrants beginning about same 

 time, at its height between mid-Sept, and mid-Oct., and lasting 

 to fourth week, along east and west coasts. Later, stragglers noted 

 in most years up to mid-Nov. Ireland. — Some evidence of autumn 

 passage-movements on coasts. 



Distribution. — Abroad. — Europe generally from about lat. 66° 

 north in Scandinavia to Mediterranean, west to Azores and Cape 

 Verde Islands, south to Marocco, Algeria and Tunisia, north of 

 Atlas, east to Asia Minor, Syria and Persia, in west Siberia near 

 Omsk. Winters in Africa and in small numbers in south Europe. 

 Occurs on passage in Madeira and Canary Islands, but is replaced 

 there as breeding-bird by closely -allied resident form. 



SYLVIA COMMUNIS* 



155. Sylvia communis communis Lath. — THE WHITE- 

 THROAT. 



Sylvia communis Latham, Gen. Syn. Suppl., i, p. 287 (1787 — England). 

 Sylvia rufa (Boddaert), Yarrell, i, p. 406 ; Sylvia cinerea Bechstein, 

 Saunders, p. 41. 



Descripiton (Plate 13). — Adult male. Winter. — Fore-head, crown 

 and nape slate-grey, feathers edged and tipped brown ; rest of 

 upper-parts brown but upper tail-coverts more greyish tipped 

 brown ; lores greyish-white ; feathers round eyelids white ; ear- 

 coverts brown to greyish-brown ; chin and upper-throat white ; 



* This species has also been unfortunate with regard to its names. It 

 has often been called Sylvia rufa, but that name was based on an unrecog- 

 nizable figure, and more commonly S. cinerea, but Latham clearly described 

 the English bird as Sylvia communis sixteen years before Bechstein. — E.H. 



2 B 



