380 



June ; and Mr. Blanford informs me that it is more common in summer in the northern part of the 

 country than in the south. Menetries met with it at Lenkoran ; and Mr. Blanford found it far 

 from scarce in the Elburz Mountains. He says that specimens collected by him in Persia are 

 distinguishable by no constant character from European birds ; and having compared his speci- 

 mens, I can fully indorse this statement. Mr. A. O. Hume received one procured by Dr. King 

 at Aboo on the 24th September, 1868, which appears to be the only instance of its occurrence in 

 India; but Dr. Severtzoff informs me that it breeds commonly throughout Turkestan. 



Exceedingly active and lively, the Whitethroat is a bird that is so often seen in our gardens 

 as to be familiar to most of us. Its song, which is harsh and unmelodious, is frequently heard, 

 and is one of the earliest notes that greets one's ear in the morning, as well as one of the latest 

 heard in the evening. When singing, the throat is distended, and the feathers on the head raised ; 

 the bird accompanies its song with curious jerks and gesticulations of the body ; and every now 

 and then it will start off and fly a short distance whilst uttering its harsh notes. Sometimes it 

 will rise into the air and keep fluttering with a wavering fitful motion for a few seconds, singing 

 vigorously, and will then drop down onto its perch again. It will allow any one to approch 

 quite close ; but it creeps through the foliage with such agility that one soon loses sight of it. In 

 confinement it is sprightly and entertaining, and not difficult to keep in health. It feeds during 

 the spring and early summer almost entirely on insects and their larvae ; but so soon as the berries 

 arc ripe it eats various sorts of these fruits readily. 



The Whitethroat arrives here in England late in April, the males appearing shortly before 

 the females ; and soon after the latter arrive they commence making their arrangements for 

 nidification. The nest is placed in a bramble bush, amongst long grass, and weeds, or in a low 

 bush, and usually close to, or a short distance above, the ground; but I have found it placed in 

 an arbour at least six feet from the ground. It is tolerably firmly though lightly and openly 

 constructed of grass-bents and dried stems and stalks of umbelliferous plants, and is lined with 

 fine bents, and sometimes a little horsehair. The eggs, four or five, and sometimes six, in 

 number, are greenish white, speckled and spotted with greyish olive or greyish stone-colour, 

 mottled or marbled with light brown, and slightly tinted with green : some in the series in my 

 collection have a few dark greenish grey spots at the larger end rather clearly defined ; and one 

 or two have the ground-colour of a pale warm (almost brownish) stone-colour. In size they vary 

 from f£ by ^ an inch to f by f § inch ; and five or six is the number deposited. Mr. Collett 

 Informs me that he has observed that it frequently commences several nests before it settles on 

 finishing one, the rest being left in a half-finished condition ; and he describes the nests as being 

 constructed of dried bents and plant-cotton, well lined with horsehair, the colour of the horsehair 

 selected being usually black, white hair being seldom found in the lining of the nests of this 

 species. 



The specimens figured are an adult male in breeding-plumage and a male in autumn dress, 

 these being the examples above described. 



In the preparation of the above article I have examined the following specimens : — 



