GREATER PETTYCHAPS. 133 



bramble, or black thorn, or large herbaceous 

 plants, which form the under growth to some 

 wood or plantation : it is rather loosely constructed 

 of straws, of the stalks of grasses, slender roots, 

 c. lined with a few hairs or fine straws. The 

 eggs are four or five, of a yellowish gray or pale 

 purplish brown, spotted and blotched with dark 

 markings of the latter colour. The retired habits 

 of the species may in part account for it ; but 

 from the testimony of all our modern observers, 

 it seems by no means commonly seen or heard 

 either in Britain or in Ireland. On the Conti- 

 nent, again, it seems to reach almost as far north 

 as the last, visiting Sweden. To the south, we 

 know of its occurrence in Italy ; but we seem to 

 have no record whatever of its appearance beyond 

 the European boundary, or in Africa. 



In form very similar to the last ; the whole of 

 the upper parts yellowish hair brown ; darker on 

 the quills and tail ; and having above the eyes an 

 indistinct streak of a lighter colour. The breast 

 and flanks are yellowish white ; the chin and 

 centre of the belly nearly pure white. There 

 seems little difference, except in the intensity or 

 clearness of the colours, between the sexes. 



THE WHITE THROAT CURRUCA CINEREA, 

 jBechstein. Motacilla cinerea, Linn. Sylvia 

 cinerea, Latham. Curruca cinerea, Selby. 

 White-throat, or common white-throat of British 

 authors. The two previous species we have seen 



