THE BLACKCAP AND WHITETHROATS. 107 



them, they seek safety in the deepest recesses of their 

 haunts. I am satisfied that the Lesser Whitethroat is 

 another of those birds unable to distinguish its own 

 eggs from the eggs of other species. I have placed the 

 eggs of the Willow Warbler in the nest of this bird after 

 removing the rightful eggs, and they have been attended 

 to with the greatest care. Throughout the early sum- 

 mer months the male Whitethroat contributes to the 

 melody which fills the grove at that delightful time, but 

 he seldom or never sings after the young can fly. As 

 the Lesser Whitethroat is of so shy and retiring a nature, 

 it is difficult to mention the exact time of their depar- 

 ture, but there is small doubt but what the little 

 creatures leave us for the south by the latter end of 

 August or beginning of September, soon after the 

 autumnal moult is completed. 



