BRITISH BIRDS. IJ 



found breeding in Glamorgan and Brecon. Chief haunts 

 are woods, copses and tangled hedgerows in timbered 

 meadows. Nest built during May among bushes and 

 rank herbage, either on the ground or near to it in 

 evergreens or other bushes ; very loosely constructed, 

 firstly of a layer of oak leaves, within which is a slight 

 cup formed of horsehair, with a few grass blades and 

 small roots. Eggs 14 to 6 ; bluish-green, clouded 

 uniformly over entire surface with warm brown, which 

 produces an olive appearance ; sometimes clouding is not 

 uniform and so allows ground colour to become visible ; 

 size '85 by '60. The unrivalled song is heard (often at 

 night) until the first or second week in June, when brood 

 is hatched. Young are fed at first largely upon small 

 caterpillars, later they frequent gardens. 



Sub-family, Sylviinee. 



Young at first have in most genera pale or rufous 

 margins to feathers of upper parts, but otherwise much 

 resemble adults. 



GENUS IX. SYLVIA, Scopoli (1769). 

 Bill short, moderately stout, upper mandible slightly 

 decurved. Wings moderate ; first or bastard quill small, 

 third or fourth longest. Tail fairly long, slightly rounded. 



22. Sylvia einerea, Beehstein. WHITETHROAT. 



Hab. Europe, north in Scandinavia nearly to Arctic 

 circle, east to Southern Russia and W. Asia. In winter 

 south to Egypt and Abyssinia. 



Male : head and nape dull grey ; remaining upper 

 plumage lightish brown ; wings and tail darker ; outer tail 

 feather on each side mainly dirty white, next two also 

 being tipped with white ; secondary wing feathers widely 



C 



