332 SUMMER. 



distended, and the feathers on the top of the head are 

 erected so as to form a sort of crest. It is not impro- 

 bable that the singular gestures and attitudes of the 

 whitethroat, when it makes, what may be called, a 

 singing excursion, are occasioned by the two disturb- 

 ing actions of singing and flying ; but the bird may be 

 easily known by its rising from a hedge, mounting 

 upwards with occasional trembling motions, and 

 coming down slowly to the place whence it started. 



During the season, when the young are unfledged, 

 or unable to leave the vicinity of the nest, the white- 

 throat is of great service in gardens and plantations ; 

 but when the brood are able to fly, it leads them to 

 the garden, where they continue to plunder the small 

 fruits until the time of their departure from this 

 country. 



The whitethroat is found in all parts of Britain, 

 where there are trees, hedges, and gardens ; and as 

 it comes nearer the habitations of man when its brood 

 are fledged than some of the others, it is probably 

 reported as being more numerous in proportion than 

 it really is. At first thought, one would suppose that 

 there is no point more easily settled than the numbers 

 and localities of animals ; and yet in the case of them 

 all, and more especially in that of birds, the matter 

 is by no means so easy ; neither, when it has been 

 approximated, does the approximation hold for any 

 length of time ; there are natural changes, as when 

 man alters the soil and the vegetation, the animals 

 alter along with it ; and all may take place in the 

 course of not a great number of years. In consequence 

 of the improvement in agriculture and of planting, 



