WHITE-THROAT. 
135 
acquainted ; the nest being loosely constructed 
of straws, roots, &c. the lining by no means 
warm or very compact, — that of the White- 
throat is placed generally in a low bush, or among 
strong and tall herbaceous plants. 
Over the British islands this bird is plentifully 
distributed, extending northward to the extremity 
of the mainland. On the Continent it is equally 
plentiful ; but our knowledge of its extra-Euro- 
pean range is confined to its appearance in the 
vicinity of Smyrna * and Trebizond. 
Upper parts and auriculars yellowish brown ; 
tinged with gray between the bill and the eyes, 
and a streak over each of the latter with yellowish 
white ; the wings and tail are pale umber brown, 
having the tertials broadly edged with reddish or 
yellowish brown ; the edge of the outer quill 
white ; the tail is more rounded than usual, or 
slightly cuneated, and the outer feather has the 
outer web, and often a portion of the inner, 
white ; the throat and centre of the belly are white, 
shading to yellowish white over the flanks ; the 
breast is tinted with rose red, which, in a 
subdued manner, often tints more or less the 
whole lower parts ; the richness fades somewhat 
after being killed. In the female, all the tints are 
more subdued, and less marked, particularly the 
edging of the quills and the rose tint on the breast. 
Length about five inches and a half. In this species 
the colour of the iris is remarkable } in the two 
or three preceding birds it is of a clear chestnut 
• Strickland. 
