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318 SYLVIADA. 
health. Mr. Sweet says of the Whitethroat, “One that 
I at present possess will sing for hours together against a 
Nightingale, now in the beginning of January, and it will 
not suffer itself to be outdone; when the Nightingale 
raises its voice, it also does the same, and tries its utmost 
to get above it; sometimes in the midst of its song it 
will run up to the Nightingale, and stretch out its neck as 
if in defiance, and whistle as loud as it can, staring it in 
the face; if the Nightingale attempts to peck it, away it 
is in an instant, flymg round the aviary, and singing all 
the time. It is readily taken in a trap baited with a living 
caterpillar or butterfly. One that I caught last spring 
sung the third day after being in confinement, and continued 
to sing all through the summer ; but this was most likely 
im consequence of a tame one being with it, which also 
sung at the same time.” 
The Whitethroat is plentiful in summer in the southern 
counties of England from Sussex to Cornwall; and, ac- 
cording to Mr. Thompson, is a regular summer visitor 
throughout Ireland. Northward from London it may be 
traced to Northumberland and Durham; but appears to 
decrease in numbers in northern counties. Mr. Rennie is 
mentioned as haying seen it in Argyleshire; and Mr. 
Selby observed it in two localities in Sutherlandshire. 
The Whitethroat visits Denmark, Norway, Sweden, 
Russia, and Siberia: it is also common during summer in 
Germany, Holland, France, Provence, Spain, Sardinia, 
Italy, Sicily, and Crete, remaining in the more southern 
countries from April to October. Mr. Strickland saw it 
at Smyrna; and the Zoological Society have received 
specimens from Trebizond. 
The beak is brown ; the irides hazel ; the head and neck 
smoke-grey, timged with brown; the back, wing-coverts, 
