2 THE WARBLERS 



ally near the tip. The under parts are duller than in the adult, the throat being of a 

 dirty white, the breast and flanks greyish buff. The outer tail feathers are brownish 

 white, [w. P. P.] 



2. Distribution. Thewhitethroat is generally distributed as a breeding species 

 over the whole of Europe, with the exception of the north of Scandinavia and Russia, 

 and over Western Asia as far as the Yenesei ; but east of the Caucasus and the Urals 



. V" \ HW .representative form has been separated under the name of 8. communis icterops, 

 ...": :Meftetr; It also nests in small numbers in the Mediterranean islands and North- 

 West Africa. In the British Isles it is plentiful throughout Great Britain and Ireland, 

 except in the north of Scotland, but is extending its range there, and now breeds in 

 small numbers in E. Sutherland and W. Ross. It breeds regularly in Skye, and 

 has been recorded as nesting on Barra in the Outer Hebrides in 1900, but not in 

 the Orkneys or Shetlands. Outside its breeding range it is found not only in the 

 countries along the West African coast and the whole Nile Valley, but also in 

 Central Africa, and on one occasion has been met with as far south as Damara- 

 land. [F. c. R. j.] 



3. Migration. A summer visitor to the British Isles. The first arrival of 

 any numbers on the south coast of England usually takes place about the middle of 

 April, and from then until the latter half of May they are continually passing 

 through and settling down in their breeding quarters. In Scotland and Ireland 

 it seldom arrives before the beginning of May. The return migration commences 

 towards the end of July, the adult birds probably leaving first as the emigrating 

 flocks in September are largely composed of young. By the end of September our 

 breeding birds have practically all left, and the birds met with in October are 

 probably migrants passing through from Northern Europe, [j. L. B.] 



4. Nest and Eggs. The usual site is low down, almost on the ground, in rank 

 vegetation, small bushes, hedgerows and thickets, but occasionally a nest is found 

 at some height above it. It is built of bents, grasses, and roots, well lined with 

 horsehair, and is always deep internally. (PI. xvin.) The work of construction 

 is done usually by both sexes. Eggs usually 5, less commonly 4 or 6, greenish in 

 ground-colour and speckled or marbled with ochreous and leaden shell-marks. 

 There are, however, many varieties, including white or bluish without markings, or 

 only blotched with ash-grey, boldly blotched and spotted with dark brown. A 

 well-known pink type with red-brown markings has also occurred in several 

 places. (PI. C.) Average size of 100 eggs, -75 x -54 in. [19-1 x 13-7 mm.]. The 

 breeding season begins early in May, but usually not till the second half of the 



