LESSER WHITETHROAT. 
115 
JNSESSORES. 
DENTIROSTRES. SYLVIADJE. 
PLATE LXVIII. 
LESSER WHITETHROAT. 
Sylvia curruca. 
This lively and elegant little bird arrives in England 
among the earliest of our summer warblers, about the same 
time as the blackcap. Its presence is soon betrayed by its 
very peculiar call-note, which it utters continually, and with 
which it always terminates its pleasing song. This is a 
shaking double note many times repeated, and most resem¬ 
bles rucca ! rucca! from which probably has arisen its trivial 
name. As soon as it has reached its destination, this little 
bird may be seen perched upon the top of a tree, a leafless 
one being generally chosen, singing its merry and noisy song, 
which, beginning with a few soft warbling notes, uttered in a 
very hurried manner, is usually concluded as before described. 
The little vocalist all the while is seen frisking and hopping 
up and down, and snatching from time to time some insect 
from the naked branches. Its terminating song is uttered 
apparently with the full extent of its lungs, its little bill wide 
open, and the feathers of the head and neck set up so erect 
that the head appears nearly the size of the whole body. 
Sometimes the song is commenced with a long shrill note, 
resembling see-ee! concluding always with the before-men¬ 
tioned termination. Whether at rest or in motion the song 
continues the same at intervals, and is not even interrupted 
