76 SYLVIA 



112. LESSER WHITETHROAT. 

 SYLVIA CURRUCA. 



Sylvia curruca (Linn.), Syst. Nat. i. p, 329 (1766) ; Hewitson, i. p. 132, 

 pi. xxxv. fig. 4 ; Naumann, ii. p. 451, Taf. 77, fig. 1 ; Gould, B. of 

 Gt. Brit. ii. pi. 58 ; Newton, i. p. 410 ; Dresser, ii. p. 383, pi. 58 ; 

 Seebohm, Cat. B. Br. Mus. v. p. 17 ; Tacz. F. 0. Sib. 0. p. 277 ; 

 Sannders, p. 43 ; Lilford, iii. p. 52, pi. 26 ; S. </v/a, Bechst., 

 Gemeinn. Naturg. Dentschl., 2nd ed. ii. p. 540 (1807) ; Gould, B. of 

 Eur. ii. pi. 125. 



Bccfin-labillard, French ; Parlanchin, Span. ; Zaun-Grds- 



milcke, German ; Braamsluiper, Dutch ; Gjcerdesanger, Dan. ; 



Gfrcessmutte, Norweg. ; Artsmyg, Swed. ; jferne-kerttu, Finn. ; 

 Peresmcshka, Russ. 



ad. (Turkey). Crown smoke-grey ; lores and ear-coverts blackish 

 brown ; upper parts generally brownish smoke-grey ; wings and tail 

 blackish brown, the primaries margined with ashy brown, the inner 

 secondaries with whitish grey ; outer tail feather whitish grey ; under 

 parts white with a rosy tinge, washed with pale rufous on the flanks ; bill 

 blackish, the base of the lower mandible dull yellowish ; legs plumbeous ; 

 iris pearly white. Culmen 0'45, wing 2-55, tail 2*3, tarsus 0'75 inch ; 

 first primary ri inch shorter than the second, which is intermediate 

 between the fifth and sixth, the third and fourth nearly equal and longest. 

 The female is somewhat smaller and duller, the head browner, lores and 

 ear-coverts paler, and under parts tinged with grey. Young birds have 

 the upper parts browner and the under parts washed with pale brown. 



Hal>. Europe generally from the Mediterranean north to 

 Trondhjem in Norway and from western Europe at least to the 

 Ural : common in Great Britain up to Stirlingshire above 

 which it is rare ; winters in Africa as far south as Nubia and 

 Abyssinia. 



It affects woodlands, groves, and gardens, but not the true 

 forest, and prefers bush-growth, hedges, &c., to trees. Lively 

 and active, it is by no means shy when unmolested. Its 

 call-note is harsh and its song consists of a number of hasty 

 twittering and flute-like notes, with a frequent repetition of 

 the syllables sip, sip, sip, and, though pleasing, lacks variety. 

 It feeds chiefly on insects of various kinds and their larvse, but 

 also to some extent on fruit and berries. It breeds in May or 

 June, placing its nest on a bush not very high above the 

 ground, this latter being slightly though firmly constructed of 



