30 BRITISH BIRDS 



Bird Length 5| in. Distinguished by the rust-coloured 

 edgings of the wing-coverts and 

 secondaries. The male, in breeding 

 plumage, has the head ash-grey, 

 upper-parts brown tinged with ochre 

 (clay yellow), the under-parts whitish, 

 except the forebreast which has a 

 rosy tint, and the throat which is 

 -p. o 2 pure white. Wing and tail chiefly 



brown or rust brown, but the outer 

 tail-feathers are mostly white. The female differs chiefly in 

 having the head brown, and being duller. Young are like 

 the female, but browner. 



Nest. Usually near the ground, in tangled herbage, small 

 bushes or hedges. Material: grasses and roots loosely put to- 

 gether and lined with horse-hair. 



Eggs. Usually 5. Greenish with ochreous or lead-hued 

 markings. Sometimes white or bluish with or without 

 markings, also pink with reddish markings. Av. size, *75 x '54 

 in. Laying begins in May. Usually one brood. 



53. Lesser-whitethroat [Sylvia curruca curruca (Linnaeus)]. 

 Summer visitor to England and Wales, rare in the south-west, 

 northern counties, and Welsh seaboard. Not proved to breed 

 in Scotland and Ireland. Bird of passage. 



Bird. Length 5J in. Distinguished from the preceding by 

 the grey head, the absence of chestnut on the wing, and 

 smaller size. Sexes alike, but female duller. Upper-parts 

 mostly greyish-brown. Tail brownish-grey. Outer web of 

 outermost tail-feathers white. Under-parts whitish, with 

 throat pure white, forebreast tinged with pinkish-buff, flanks 

 with buflish-brown. Wings brownish-grey with brown edgings 

 in parts. 



Nest. Place : thick bushes, hedges, tangle, usually near ground. 

 Material : stalks, grasses, lined with rootlets, fine grasses, and 

 hair. 



Eggs. Usually 5-6. Creamy or white with a zone or cap of 

 brown and grey marking at the big end. Av. size, "65 x '49 in. 

 Laying begins jn May. One brood, possibly two. 



54. Blackcap [Sylvia atricapilla (Linnaeus)]. Summer 

 visitor, generally distributed in woodland districts, but local. 

 Scarce in Ireland and N. Scotland. Bird of passage. Winters 

 occasionally in S.W. England. 



Bird. Length 5| in. Distinguished from our other warblers 

 by the cap black in the male, brown in the female and young. 

 There is no white in the tail. The upper-parts, wing-coverts, 

 and tail are ash-grey with olive-brown tinge on the back, and 



