THE WHITETHROAT. 



THE WHITETHROAT. 



THE Whitethroat, or 

 Greater Whitethroat as 

 it is sometimes called in 

 contradistinction to its 

 near and rarer relative, 

 the Lesser Whitethroat, is 

 a very common summer 

 visitor to our shores, ar- 

 riving about the second 

 or third week in April 

 and taking its departure 

 again in September and 

 October. 



It is about five and a half inches in 

 length. The upper parts of its body are 

 brown tinged with grey on the head and 

 neck, and reddish elsewhere ; wings 

 dusky, the coverts being edged with 

 reddish-buff ; tail quills dull brown, the 

 outer ones edged and tipped with white, 

 which is prominently shown when the 

 bird is flying away from the observer. 

 The chin and throat are white, account- 

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