39 



THE LESSEE WHITETHEOAT. 



Sylvia curruca (L.) 



The records of the Lesser Wliitethroat are unfortunately 

 not sufficiently numerous to enable the method of this 

 bird's immigrations to be traced with any certainty. 



It is, however, clear that during the spring-migration 

 Lesser Whitethroats travel in small parties, in couples, or 

 singly ; there is no evidence of their travelling or appear- 

 ing in a party or flock of any size. The point of arrival 

 is clearly shown to be the south-eastern coasts, the birds 

 then passing on quickly to the west and north-west. 



ISTo marked immigrations were recorded, the birds 

 arriving gradually throughout the latter half of April and 

 the first week of May. From the 14th to the 21st April 

 they remained in the south-east corner of England, but on 

 the 22nd a straggler reached Cheshire, while Somerset, 

 Bedford, Herts and Cambridge were reached on the two 

 following days. 



On the 28th and 29th April the immigratory movement 

 appears to have been at its height, and, although, as before 

 stated, no marked immigration is to be traced, yet from 

 this time onwards ^there was an increase in the records of 

 this species. It appears to have been still arriving during 

 the first fortnight in May, as the bird was gradually 

 extending its range northwards and westwards, being- 

 noticed in Mid- Wales on the 6th, North Wales on the 

 11th, and finally in Westmoreland on the 12th, but 

 previous to this date it was already breeding in the south. 



Chronological Summary of the Eecoeds. 



April 14. Berks. 



15 and 16. Sussex. 



