76 EGYPTIAN BIRDS 
shield: and this because the red-spotted species 
goes for its breeding quarters to the most northern 
parts of Scandinavia, whilst its white-spotted 
cousin goes no farther north than Germany. And 
we are told that in spite of Germany’s numerous 
and well-instructed ornithologists no case has been 
observed of the red-spotted form ever having 
stopped in its transit from Africa, although it 
must pass right over the country, till it reaches 
its nearly Arctic home. This seems to show that 
this delicately built, tender little bird probably 
makes its journey by night, and so high up that it 
escapes all observation ; and when you consider the 
vast distance from Egypt's shores to the far-away 
mosses of Scandinavia, it is about as marvellous 
a journey without a halt as one can conceive of. 
Flies, insects, caterpillars, and, when it can get it, 
fruit of any kind, form its diet. 
The Bluethroat is on the list of British birds, 
but is one more case of a bird being so included 
that really hardly should be, for it is but an 
accidental visitor; probably it never meant to 
come to Britain and only got there by mistake, 
when it is generally shot at sight. It is particu- 
larly upright in its carriage and sprightly in its 
movements ; so quick that eyes unaccustomed to 
