Allen’s naturalist’s library. 
1 86 
THE LESSER WHITETHROAT. SYLVIA CURRUCA. 
(Plate XX., Fig. 2.) 
Mntacilla curruca , Linn., S. N., i., p. 329 (1766). 
Sylvia garrula, Macg., Br. B., ii., p. 357 (1839). 
Sylvia curruca , Newt. ed. Yarr., i., p. 410 (1873) ; Dresser, B. 
Eur., ii., p. 383, pi. 58 {1876); Seeb., Cat. B. Brit. Mus., 
v., p. 16 (1881); id. Hist. Br. B., i., p. 410 (1883); B. O. 
U. List Br. B., p. 12 (1883); I.ilford, Col. Fig. Br. B., pt. 
ii. (1886); Saunders, Man., p. 43 (1889). 
Adult Male — General colour above pale ashy- brown or Mouse- 
grey ; the head light slaty-grey, contrasting with the back ; 
lores, sides of face, and ear-coverts dusky ash-colour ; the eye- 
lid whitish ; over the eye a faintly indicated eyebrow of hoary- 
grey ; wing-coverts like the back, the greater series externally 
lighter and more sandy-brown ; quills sepia-brown, with a pale 
fringe to the tips, externally lighter brown, the secondaries more 
sandv-brown like the greater coverts ; tail-feathers sepia-brown, 
edged with ashy, the outer feathers dingy ashy-whitish along the 
outer web and near the end of the inner one ; under surface of 
body pure white, with a pinkish hlush on the fore-neck and 
breast, deepening into rosy-isabelline on the sides of the body 
and flanks : under wing-coverts and axillaries white, with a rosy 
isabelline tinge on the latter, and on the quill-lining ; bill 
dusky grey, pale at the base of the lower mandible ; feet and 
claws leaden grey ; iris light brown. Total length, 5-2 inches ; 
culmen, 0-35; wing, 2-6; tail, 2-15; tarsus, 0-85. 
Adult Female. — Similar in colour to the male, but having the 
brown of the back a little further extended on to the crown. 
Total length, 5 inches; wing, 2-55. 
■Winter Plumage Scarcely differs from the summer plumage, 
but is a little browner on the breast and flanks, without any 
pinkish tinge. 
Young. — Resembles the adults, but is still more plainly washed 
with brown below, and has the white on the outer tail-feather 
much more marked, the greater portion being white with a 
black shaft, and leaving an oblique black mark along the greater 
part of the inner web. 
