372 A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



hymenoptera and diptera (Bibionidce and Muscidce). Also aphides 

 and spiders. Seen to take pea-louse (Macrosiphum). Currants, 

 raspberries and peas occasionally eaten ; also wild berries in 

 autumn. 



Distribution. — England, Wales and Ireland. — Summer-resident. 

 Generally distributed. Scotland. — Generally distributed in south, 

 and centre, thinly distributed and local in north, apparently not 

 breeding in north Sutherland or Caithness. In Orkneys, Fair Isle, 

 and Shetlands noted recently as fairly frequent passage -migrant 

 in autumn and in spring, and has possibly once nested Orkneys. 

 In I. Hebrides well known, but to 0. Hebrides a somewhat rare 

 passage-migrant, but occasionally seen in summer and bred once 

 Lewis (1881) and once Barra (1900). 



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

 last three days March (early date 25), main body from third week 

 April to about third week May, but movements become merged in 

 those of passage -migrants that begin end April along east and west 

 coasts England and Wales and east coast and northern isles Scotland 

 and last to end first week June. Southward movement of summer- 

 residents begins last week July and continues throughout Aug. 

 and Sept., but becomes merged in passage-migration that begins 

 early in Sept. and lasts till first week Oct., by same route as in spring. 

 Stragglers recorded several times in Nov. up to 10th (Essex, 1913). 



Distribution. — Abroad. — Europe from 65° north lat. in Scandinavia 

 to Mediterranean, also north Algeria and north Tunisia. Winters 

 in Africa and in small numbers in Canary Islands ; casual Madeira. 

 Replaced from Caucasus, Syria and Persia to west Siberia by 

 Sylvia communis icterops. 



SYLVIA CURRUCA 



156. Sylvia curruca curruca (L.)— THE LESSER WHITE- 

 THROAT. 



MoTACiLLA CuRETJCA Liniiaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. x, i, p. 184 (1758 — " Habitat 



in Eiiropa." Restricted typical locality : Sweden). 



Sylvia curruca (Linnaeus), Yarrell, i, p. 410 ; Saunders, p. 43. 



Description (Plate 13). — Adult male and female. Winter. — Fore-head 

 and crown slate-grey, tinged brown ; rest of upper-parts uniform 

 greyish-brown, but rump and upper tail -coverts rather greyer and 

 less brown than mantle ; some feathers from nostrils and over eyes 

 usually with slight hoary tips ; feathers round eyelids white ; lores 

 and ear-coverts dark brownish-grey ; chin, throat and sides of neck 

 white ; breast white with a pinkish tinge of varying intensity ; 

 beUy and under tail -coverts white, latter with pale brown centres ; 

 flanks pale pinkish-buff ; axillaries white, tinged pinkish-buff ; tail- 



