PLATE I 

 WHITETHROAT. Sylvia cinerea 



May 3O/A, 1895. The nest from which this Plate is taken was built among 

 the stems of the meadow-sweet and various other plants in a small thicket 

 beside the river Leny at Callander. 



In this one small patch of willows and briers I found no less than eleven 

 Whitethroats' nests, all containing eggs. The place simply swarmed with the 

 birds, and their noisy song arose incessantly from every bush ; many of the 

 nests, like the one in the Plate, were almost on the ground, among the leaves 

 of the meadow-sweet and other weeds, which grew in great luxuriance among 

 the tangle of willow-scrub and briers. Other nests were placed among the 

 twigs of the willow bushes, usually when some tall plant grew up through 

 them and formed a leafy screen to shelter and conceal the nest. 



In only one nest did I find young birds, and they were evidently but 

 newly hatched ; little bare pink creatures with tufts of down on the tops of 

 their bald heads ; they eagerly opened their yellow mouths and gaped for food, 

 swaying their heavy heads about as if they could hardly support the weight 

 of them on their unsteady little necks. While I was looking at this nest 

 the old birds frequently came within a few feet of me, scolding as vigorously 

 as they could with a mouthful of insects. 



After watching the birds for some time at their nests, I found that the 

 sitting bird usually leaves the nest for about an hour shortly after mid- 

 day, and for a short time at sunset ; otherwise she sits very close, and displays 

 tremendous anxiety if the intruder approaches too close to her treasure, hopping 

 about among the bushes and scolding vigorously. I have observed the male 

 clinging to the rough bark of the birches and searching in the crevices for 

 insects, just like the Creeper, or chasing the insects in the air, stopping with 

 a sort of jerk every now and then, and hovering with his tail expanded. 



VOL. ii. Q 6 1 



