LESSER WHITETHROAT. ole 
in his treatment of our small singing birds in confinement, 
which is, ‘‘I have reared the Lesser Whitethroat, two 
males and a female; the males had a beautiful tinge of 
carmine on their breast.” 
In the adult male the beak is nearly black; the base of 
the under mandible yellowish brown ; the irides yellowish 
white; and in some very old birds pearl white ; the head, 
neck, and back, smoke-grey; the ear-coverts almost black ; 
quill-feathers blackish brown, the tertials edged with lighter 
brown; tail-feathers blackish brown, except the outer fea- 
ther on each side, which is nearly white; chin, throat, 
breast, and belly, nearly pure white, the latter tinged with 
red as far as the vent; sides and flanks tinged with grey ; 
under surface of wing and tail-feathers grey ; legs, toes, 
and claws, lead colour. 
The whole length five inches and a quarter. From the 
carpal joint to the end of the primaries, two inches and 
five-eighths: the first feather very short; the second fea- 
ther rather shorter than the third or fourth, which are 
equal in length, and the longest in the wing. 
The female is not quite so large as the male; the grey 
colour of the head and neck is tinged with brown; the 
ear-coverts not so dark in colour, and the white of the 
under surface of the body is less pure, being clouded with 
grey. 
Young birds resemble the female, and have the eyes 
reddish hazel. 
