108 FAMILIAR WILD XIRVR. 



the grey colour of the head and neck is usually tinged 

 with brown ; the ear-coverts are not so dark in colour, and 

 the under portion of the body is clouded with grey ; but 

 the sexes are very difficult to distinguish. The young 

 birds in plumage resemble the adult female. Like other 

 members of the family, they complete their moult before 

 leaving Britain in the autumn. 



The Lesser White-throat is a great favourite as a cage 

 bird, soon becoming very tame and attached, and folio wing- 

 its owner about for a mealworm or such like. It is not 

 very difficult to keep, and should be fed and treated as a 

 Blackcap. 



