THE SINGING BIRDS 



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band across the eyes is of a whitish, and the bridles of a blackish hue. The quills are brownish grey ; 

 the tail-feathers, except in the centre, blackish-brown at their distal half, rust-red towards the roots. 

 The eye is dark brown, the beak black, the feet greenish in front, and yellowish grey behind. In 

 the plumage of the female all the colours are paler than those of her mate. The young are spotted 

 with rust-red on the back, and striped on the under side, their throat being whitish. This bird is six 

 inches long and eight and a half broad ; the wing measures two inches and three-quarters, and the 

 tail two inches and a quarter. The various species of Blue-throated Warblers are distinguishable 

 from each other by the somewhat varied coloration of their throats ; thus, that of the male Swedish 

 Blue-throat (Cyanecula Suecica) has a reddish star in its centre, the White-starred Blue-throat 

 (Cyanecula leucocyana) a white star, whilst the Cyanecula Wolfii is entirely without this decoration. 





THE SWEDISH bi.ue-throat [Cyanecula Suecica). 



Of these the Cyanecula leucocyana is the largest, and the Cyanecula Wolfii the smallest species. 

 The females of all closely resemble their mates in appearance. 



These birds inhabit the northern portions of the Eastern Hemisphere, and from thence wander 

 forth to visit Central Asia, Egypt, and Nubia, only occasionally venturing as far as Southern Asia or 

 Central Africa. The autumn migration is undertaken in large parties, which fly in a direct line 

 towards their destination, whilst in the spring, on the contrary, the males return first, and steer their 

 aerial course as far as possible in the immediate vicinity of the banks of rivers or any large bodies 

 of water, as in such localities they find an abundant supply of the worms, beetles, and similar fare 

 that afford them their principal means of subsistence. The disposition of the Blue-throats in every 

 way corresponds with their attractive appearance, and their intelligence is by no means inferior to 

 that of the Nightingale. All their movements are characterised by a liveliness that seems to indicate 



