THE WHITETHROAT. 371 



5 wing 68-75. Primaries : 1st two-thirds to three-quarters as 

 long as longest primary-covert (occasionally equal), 3rd and 4th 

 longest, 2nd and 5th, .5-2 mm. shorter, 6th 3-5 shorter ; 3rd 

 and 4th clearly, 5th slightly, emarginated outer webs. Secondaries 

 2-5 mm. shorter than 10th primary, tips fairly square. Tail some- 

 what rounded, outermost feathers about 5 mm. shorter than central, 

 12 feathers, tips rather sharply sloped off. Bill rather flat and 

 broad at base, pointed at tip. Some small fine rictal and nasal 

 bristles. Nostrils not covered by feathers. 



Soft parts. — Bill greyish horn-brown, base of lower mandible 

 bluish-flesh ; legs and feet pale brown ; iris yellowish -brown. 



Characters and allied forms. — S. c. icterops (Caucasus, Persia, 

 Turkestan) is slightly larger and has darker upper-parts and darker 

 wings with paler and less rufous edgings to secondaries and coverts. 

 Longer wing, shorter 1st primary and rufous edgings to secondaries 

 and greater coverts at once distinguish Whitethroat from Lesser 

 Whitethroat. 



Field -CHARACTERS. — Absence of dark cap from crown, pure white 

 chin and throat and, in flight, the white on outer tail-feathers sepa- 

 rate Whitethroats from other British warblers, whilst this species 

 differs from Lesser Whitethroat in having rufous patch on wing. 

 A frequenter of hedges and thickets, and to some extent of gorse- 

 covered commons and open country, is less of a recluse than most 

 of its congeners. Song, a rapid jumble of notes sung in snatches 

 and with great energy, is often uttered during jerky, vertical flight 

 or from an exposed position, such as top of a hedge or a telegraph 

 wire. Call-note, " hweet, hweet, hweet." Anger expressed by a 

 hoarse " chur-r," and alarm by an anxious " teck, teck." 



Breeding-habits. — Nests in low bushes, hedge bottoms, brambles, 

 etc., usually close to ground, but occasionally at some height above 

 it. Nest. — Usually substantial, with deep cup, built of dead grasses, 

 roots, etc., and well lined with hair, generally black. Bits of down 

 or wool appear to be added by the hen, but nest is built by cock. 

 Eggs. — Normally 4-5, exceptionally 6, and very variable. Common 

 types have greenish or stone ground, finely speckled with ochreous 

 and leaden spots, but markings range from big blotches, caps, or 

 zones of spots to fine stippling and colour from oil -green to ochreous 

 or blackish. Exceptionally erythristic type with salmon-pink 

 ground and red-brown and grey spots, pure white eggs, or pale 

 bluish have been recorded. Average of 100 eggs, 18.1 x 13.8 mm. 

 Breeding-season. — From early May onward, but mostly in second 

 half of month. Incubation. — 11-13 days (W. Evans) : male taking 

 part (E. L. Turner). Fledging-period. — 11 days (Brock). Some 

 birds undoubtedly rear a second brood. 



Food. — Mainly insects and their larvae : coleoptera {Agriotes, Phyl- 

 lobius, Aphodius, Haltica, Apion, etc.) ; lepidoptera (larvae) ; 



2b2 



