242 cassell's hook of birds. 



In an extract given by Mr. Thompson, of Belfast, from the MS. of the late John Templeton, 

 Esq., he says: — "On the 21st of May I had the pleasure of seeing this bird, to whose haunt in my 

 garden I was attracted by its pleasing melody. It was not very shy, coming near enough to be 

 distinctly seen, but was extremely restless, flitting every moment from place to place, and only 

 stationary on the branch while it gave out its song. The male continued to sing until the young 

 were reared, when his song ceased for about a fortnight ; then it was again renewed, on the 

 ^construction, I suppose, of a new nest." 



" As a songster," says Yarrell, " it ranks with the Blackcap ; and a good judge of the comparative 

 ■value of the songs of our birds has described that of the Garden Warbler as a continued strain of 

 considerable modulation, sometimes lasting for half" an hour at a time without a pause. The song is 

 wild, rapid, and irregular in time and tone, but the rich depth is wonderful for so small a throat, 

 approaching in deep mellowness even to that of the Blackbird."' 



The nest is made in bushes and trees, at various distances from the ground, and is so slightly 

 constructed as to render it a matter of wonder how it can possibly support the five or six eggs that 

 constitute a brood. It is formed externally of strong bents, lined with finer bents, fibrous roots, 

 and horsehair. The situation in which it is placed is carelessly selected, and it is no uncommon 

 occurrence for the little structure to fall to the ground, not only during a high wind, but from the mere 

 weight of the parents as they enter or leave the nest. Strangely enough, though they thus appear to 

 adopt the most unsuitable situations for building, few birds are so capricious as to their requirements 

 in this respect, and it frequently happens that a pair of Garden Warblers will lay the foundation of 

 several nests, often within a. very limited space, before they satisfy their peculiar fancies. Both 

 parents co-operate in the business of incubation ; the male, however, only sits during the middle of 

 the day ; the nestlings are hatched within a fortnight, and in another fortnight can leave the nest, 

 and climb nimbly about the surrounding branches, though unable to fly. If undisturbed, this species 

 breeds but once in the year. 



THE LESSER WHITETHROAT. 



The Lesser Whitethroat (Ciirruca garruld) does not exceed five inches and one-third in 

 length, and eight in breadth ; the wing measures two inches and a half, and the tail two inches and 

 a quarter. In this species the top of the head is grey, and the back brownish grey ; the wing-feathers 

 are of a still deeper grey, edged with a pale shade ; die entire underside is white, tinted with yellowish 

 red on the sides of the breast ; the cheek-stripes are dark g-rey ; the exterior tail-feathers white ; the 

 rest being only surrounded with a white border.. The eyes are brown, the beak dark grey, and the 

 legs bluish grey. 



This Whitethroat inhabits the whole of Central Europe, usually appearing in England about April ; 

 and, according to Jerdon, is met with throughout India and in many parts of Central Asia, during the 

 course of its winter migrations. Woods, gardens, and orchards are its favourite resorts, and these it 

 boldly visits, not merely in the neighbourhood of human habitations, but in the very centre of towns 

 and villages. 



" The food of this species," as Mr. Yarrell informs us, " is very similar to that sought for by the 

 Common AVhitethroat — namely, insects in their various states, the smaller fruits of many different 

 sorts, for which it visits the gardens, and, later in the season, it feeds on the berries of the elder and 

 some others. It is not, however, so easy to preserve this bird in health during confinement as the 

 Common Whitethroat." 



Colonel Sykes obtained examples in the Deccan which only differed from the English specimens 

 in having a reddish tint on the white of the under surface, but Mr. Blyth mentions that he has seen 



