Warblers. 75 



owner in captivity, but is a greedy bird, and often dies 

 of surfeit, or its feathers fall off and it perishes from 

 cold. It should have the same food and treatment as 

 the Blackcap, with plenty of fruit, roasted apples and 

 pears in winter, and elder, privet, and ivy-berries. 

 Stale bread soaked in boiled milk is also good for it. 

 It is apt to fall ill at its migratory season, and rarely 

 lives long in confinement. 



The WHITETHROAT (Sylvia undata or cinerea) much 

 resembles the Fauvette, but is smaller, and the upper 

 part of the body is of a deeper and redder brown; 

 the throat and chest are of a pure white, with a tinge 

 of rose-colour in the lower part of the body. It is a 

 very lively little bird, continually in motion while sing- 

 ing, springing up into the air, sinking slowly down, 

 and rising again with a fresh burst of song. It flits 

 about among low bushes, branches, and underwood, 

 and is called the Nettle Creeper in some parts of 

 England, from its habit of traversing nettle-covered 

 hedge-banks and coppices. It feeds chiefly upon 

 insects, flies, and caterpillars, especially on the larvae 

 of the cabbage butterfly, and is very fond of the rose 

 aphis. It has a very melodious song, and a strong 

 spirit of rivalry. One kept by Mr. Sweet in an aviary 

 would sing for hours against a Nightingale, and in the 

 middle of its song would run up to it, stretch out its 

 neck, and sing as loudly as possible, striving to over- 

 power its voice. It is very readily tamed, and appears 



