WHITE-THROAT. 135 



acquainted ; the nest being loosely constructed 

 of straws, roots, &c. the lining by no means 

 warm or very compact, that of the White- 

 throat is placed generally in a low bush, or among 

 strong and tall herbaceous plants. 



Over the British islands this bird is plentifully 

 distributed, extending northward to the extremity 

 of the mainland. On the Continent it is equally 

 plentiful ; but our knowledge of its extra-Euro- 

 pean range is confined to its appearance in the 

 vicinity of Smyrna * and Trebizond. 



Upper parts and auriculars yellowish brown ; 

 tinged with gray between the bill and the eyes, 

 and a streak over each of the latter with yellowish 

 white ; the wings and tail are pale umber brown, 

 having the tertials broadly edged with reddish or 

 yellowish brown ; the edge of the outer quill 

 white ; the tail is more rounded than usual, or 

 slightly cuneated, and the outer feather has the 

 outer web, and often a portion of the inner, 

 white ; the throat and centre of the belly are white, 

 shading to yellowish white over the flanks ; the 

 breast is tinted with rose red, which, in a 

 subdued manner, often tints more or less the 

 whole lower parts ; the richness fades somewhat 

 after being killed. In the female, all the tints are 

 more subdued, and less marked, particularly the 

 edging of the quills and the rose tint on the breast. 

 Length about five inches and a half. In this species 

 the colour of the iris is remarkable ; in the two 

 or three preceding birds it is of a clear chestnut 

 Strickland. 



