492 BRITISH BIRDS' NESTS. 



The female is a trifle duller in her plumage 

 than the male, but in all other respects is very 

 similar. Differs in size, as its name implies, from 

 the Whitethroat, and its darker ear-coverts distin- 

 guish it. 



Situation and Locality. In a low, sloping hedge 

 (our full page illustration is from a photograph of a 

 nest in such a situation and was taken in Surrey), 

 amongst briars, brambles, nettles, gorse and low 

 bushes, entangled by tall coarse grass and weeds ; 

 in gardens, orchards, on commons, rough waste 

 lands, by river banks, and the sides of small woods. 

 Fairly plentiful in the south and east of England, 

 but rare in the west, north, and Scotland, and 

 met with very seldom in Ireland. 



Materials. Dead grass stalks, with an inner 

 lining of horsehair. The whole structure is but 

 a shallow, frail network-looking affair, that can be 

 seen through with ease. It is sometimes tied or 

 cemented together with old cobwebs. 



Eggs. Four or five ; white, light creamy white, 

 or white with the faintest suggestion of green, in 

 ground-colour, spotted and speckled with ash-grey, 

 greenish-brown, and umber-brown. The markings 

 generally form a belt round the larger end. Size 

 about .66 by .52 in. Distinguished by small size, 

 clean ground-colour, and bold belt -inclining spots. 

 (See Plate III.) 



Time. May, June, and July. 

 Remarks. Migratory, arriving in April and 

 leaving in September. Notes : call, check, repeated 

 several times, and an incessant chattering, some- 

 times loud and grating, at others low and not 

 unpleasant. Local or other name : none. Sits 

 closely. 



