THE LESSER WHITE-THROAT. 123 



own species upoD little or no provocation. It will also 

 readily attack and drive off birds oE much greater size than 

 itself. The flight is seldom undertaken for any long dis- 

 tance, and is unsteady and jerky, the note being often con- 

 tinuously uttered whilst on the wing. The call note some- 

 what resembles the word ^' check/^ and is repeated several 

 times. 



The Lesser White-throat begins building its nest about 

 a week or two after its arrival. It composes its home of 

 thin fibrous twigs, dry grass, and thin roots, and lines it 

 with hair, wool, and soft moss ; it is not very compactly 

 built, and is usually surrounded with bits of spiders^ webs 

 or lichen, and is so very thin that it can be seen through. 

 Very often the nest is placed on a low sloping hedge, or 

 amonsfst low bushes and brambles, and seldom at anv 

 great height from the ground. Four or five eggs are laid, 

 of a whitish ground colour, spotted and blotched, principally 

 at the larger end, with pale brown and brownish-grey; not 

 un frequently the markings are in the shape of a ring. 



In the male Lesser White-throat the beak is nearly 

 black ; the base of the upper mandible yellowish-brown ; 

 the irides yellowish-white, and in some old birds pearl- 

 white ; the head, neck, and back smoke-grey ; the ear- 

 coverts dark greyish brown; quill feathers blackish- 

 brown; the tertials edged with lighter brown; tail feathers 

 dark greyish-brown, except the outer feather on each side, 

 which is nearly white ; the chin, throat, breast, and belly 

 nearly pure white, the latter tinged with red as far as the 

 vent; sides and flanks tinged with grey; under surface of 

 the wings and tail grey ; legs, toes, and claws lead colour. 

 The entire length is about five inches and a quarter. 



The female differs very slightly from the male^ but 



