LESSER WHITETHROAT—BLACKCAF. 
19 
17. Sylvia curruca. Lesser Whitethroat. 
A summer visitor. 
Only sparingly distributed throughout the county and 
Isle of Wight, and in some localities scarce. 
In the Isle of Wight, Dr. Cowper^ says it is distinctly 
rare, and Mr. Poole also calls it uncommon about Shanklin. 
It arrives and departs about the same time as the white- 
throat ; but Munn once noticed a specimen at Laverstoke, 
in 1884, late as November 14th. 
This was one of the latest birds discovered by Gilbert 
White, who writes 2 : " A rare, and I think a new, little bird 
frequents my garden, which I have great reason to think is 
the petty-chaps. This bird much resembles the white- 
throat, but has a more white or rather silvery breast and 
belly ; is restless and active, like the willow-wrens, and 
hops from bough to bough, examining every part for food ; 
it also runs up the stems of the crown-imperials, and, 
putting its head into the bells of those flowers, sips the 
liquor which stands in the nectarium of each petal. Some- 
times it feeds on the ground, like the hedge-sparrow, by 
hopping about on the grass plots and mown walks." 
The bird here described is evidently the lesser white- 
throat, and not the petty-chaps or garden warbler. 
18. Sylvia atricapilla. Blackcap. 
A common summer visitor to all parts of the county 
and the Isle of Wight. 
' "Hants Court Guide." 1897. - Letter Ivii. to Barrington. 
