214 INSESSORES. CURRUCA. White-Throat. 



grey. The young often leave the nest before they are well 

 able to fly, particularly if they happen to be disturbed. 

 Food. The food of the White-Throat chiefly consists of insects 

 and their larvse ; but in the latter part of the summer it is a 

 destructive visitor to gardens, being particularly fond of 

 cherries, currants, and other smaller fruits. 



Plate 46. Fig. 6. Male bird, natural size. 

 General Crown of the head and the region of the eyes deep smoke- 

 tion,"^' E^^y- Upper parts yellowish-brown, tinged with grey. 



Wing-coverts margined with pale orange-brown. Quills 

 blackish-brown, margined with yellowish-brown, except 

 the exterior one, which has its outer web white. Tail 

 brown, the exterior feather having its end and outer web 

 white, and being rather shorter than the rest. Throat 

 and middle of the belly white. Breast slightly tinged 

 with rose-red. Flanks ash-grey, tinged with red. Bill 

 and legs blackish-brown. Irides yellowish-brown. The 

 young have the reddish-brown of the upper parts of a 

 deeper shade than the adults ; and have also a white 

 space between the bill and the eye ; and, in them, the 

 outer web of the exterior quill is of a pale reddish- 

 brown colour, instead of being white. The tints of 

 plumage in the female are less pure, and more inclining 

 to reddish-brown than in the male bird. Breast white, 

 and without the rosy tint. 



