65 



THE LESSER WHITETHROAT. 



Sylvia curritca (L.). 



Although isolated examples of this bird were reported from 

 Surrey, Berks, Brecon, the Tsle of Man and Statfordsbiro 

 during April, it did not arrive in any numbers until the 

 beginning of May. 



In 1907 it appears to have arrived in flights consisting of 

 many individuals, and it is possible to recognize several 

 distinct immigrations. 



The Jirst was on May the 5th and Gth, when a few 

 individuals were noticed in Kent and Essex. These 

 probably passed rapidly northwards or north-westwards, 

 as an increase was noted in Staffordshire on May the 7th. 



On May the ^th a fresh innnigration must have reached 

 the eastern half of the southern coast, as increased numbers 

 were noticed in Kent and Sussex. On the two following 

 days the species was noted from the ^yestern counties of 

 Somerset and Worcester, while on May the 9tli a decrease 

 in its numbers was reported in Kent, and it was not observed 

 in Sussex. 



On May the 10th or 11th another small inimigration 

 probably arrived, as increased numbers were again reported 

 from Sussex and also from Wilts. 



The previous immigration had by this time reached York- 

 shire, where one bird was noticed on May the 10th and 

 many on the following day. On May the 12th increased 

 numbers were noted in Oxfordshire, and, though Lesser 

 Whitethroats had been seen in Essex and Cambridge a week 

 earlier, they were rei)orteil for the first time from the eastern 

 counties of Suffolk and Lincoln. 



