A dictionary of British birds : reprinted from Montagu's Ornithological dictionary, and incorporating the additional species described by Selby; Yarrell, in all three editions, and in natural-history journals / compiled and edited by Edward Newman.
- George Montagu
- Date:
- 1866
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: A dictionary of British birds : reprinted from Montagu's Ornithological dictionary, and incorporating the additional species described by Selby; Yarrell, in all three editions, and in natural-history journals / compiled and edited by Edward Newman. Source: Wellcome Collection.
405/440 page 377
![[White Grouse.—Bewick gives this name to the Ptarmigan.] [White Heron.—See Heron, Great White.] [Whiteheaded Goosander. — Dr. Fleming gives this name to the Smew.] White Nun.—See Smew. [White Owl.—See Owl, White.] White-rump.—See Wheatear. [White Spoonbill.—See Spoonbill,White.] [White Stork.—See Stork or White Stork.] White-tail.—See Wheatear. [Whitstailed Eagle.—See Eagle, Sea.] Whitethroat. — [Farrell, i. 335; Hewit- son, XXXV. 130.] Motasilla Sylvia, Lin. Syst. i. p. 330, 9 ? Gmel. Syst. ii. p. 956. Sylvia cinerea, Ind. Orn. ii. p. 514, 23. Parus cinereirs, Bris. iii. p. 549, 4; Ib. 8vo, i. p. 403; Baf. v. p. 409, iii. Ficedulte affinis, an Spipola prima, Raii Syn. p. 77, A. 6 ; Will. p. 171. First Spipola of Al- drovanclus, Will.Angl. p. 210. Vab. : Gur- ruca cinerea sive cineraria, Bris. iii. p. 376, t. 21, f. 1 ? Ib. 8vo, i. p. 415. Spipola Aldr., Raii Syn. p. 77, A. 1 ? Will. p. 153 ; Ib. Angl. p. 210. Fauvette giise, on la Grisette, Baf. v. p. 132. White-Throat, Br. Zool. i. No. 160 ; Ib. fol. 104, t. S. f. 4 ; Arct. Zool. ii. p. 422, S.; Albin, hi. t. 58 ; Lewin, Br. Birds, iii. t. 104; Hist. Selb. p. 103 ; Wale. Syn. ii. t. 235 ; Lath. Syn. iv. p. 428, 19 ; Pult. Cat. Dorset, p. 9.— Pro- vincial: Nettle-creeper. — This species weighs about four drains ; length five inches and three-quarters. The bill dusky brown above, whitish beneath ; irides yei- lo^vish. The whole upper parts, from head to tail, cinereous-brown; coverts of the wing darkest, bordered with brown, in- clining to rufous; quills dusky, slightly edged with cinereous-brown ; under parts, from chin to tail, greyish white, darkest on the breast and thighs; in some the breast has a rosy tinge ; tail like the quills ; outer feather white, except at the base of the inner web; legs pale brown. The female is like the male. This is a very common species, visits all parts of the kingdom which are inclosed, about the middle of April, and constantly en- liven.s our hedges with its song, at which time it erects the feathers on the crown of the head. The nest is made of goose- grass lined with fibres, and sometimes a few long hairs, but is of so lliinsy a texture that it can afford no warmth to the eggs or young: this is generally placed in some low bush amongst nettles or other luxuriant herbs. The eggs four or five in number, of a greenish white, speckled all over witli light brown or ash-colour; weight about thirty grains. It is proper in this place to remark, that we have more than once killed a bird somewhat resembling the above; weight and length the same; irides not so yellow; the whole u^iper parts rufous-brown; the coverts of the wings ^ud quills next the body deejily margined with bright rufous; throat and belly silvery white; breast inclining to brown, darker on the sides; outer feathers of the tail like the above. In Latham’s ‘ Synopsis ’ a variety of the White-throat is mentioned, as described by Buffon; but that author considered it a different spe- cies ; a plate of it is also given in the ‘ Planches Enluminees.’ We confess this bird has puzzled us not a little, more especially as the nest from which we shot one of them contained four white eggs, except a few grey specks at the point of the larger end; the shape nearly round ; their weight rather more than those given above. The nest was the same ; it was placed very low in a hedge of white-thorn ; another was found on bean-stalks, on which the male was killed. Possibly this may prove hereafter to be a distinct species, and the same as Dr. Latham sjieaks of being found in Provence. The Common White-throat feeds on insects and berries, frequenting our gardens in the summer for the sake of the cherries and currants. The birds here given have, it should seem, been made two distinct species by some authors, while others have made several varieties of the White-throat; so that we are not a little at a loss in respect to the quotations, some of which we give with doubts. Whitethroat, Lesser.— [_YarreU,i. 339; Heioitson, xxxv. 132.] Sylvia Sylviella, Ind. Orn. ii. p; 515, 24; Lath. Syn. Sup. ii. p. 239. Lesser Whitethroat, Lath. Syn. Sup. p. 185, t. 113; Don. Br. Birds, iv. t. 86.— This species of Warbler was first noticed by Mr. Lightfoot in Buckingham- shire, and communicated to Dr. Latham, who first gave it to the world as a British species in the Supplement to his'* Synop- sis.’ It is less than the Common White- throat ; length five inches and a quarter; weight about three drams and a quarter. The bill is dusky; irides j'ellowsh, with a dash of pearl-colour. The upper part of the head, taking in the G}'es, is dark ash- colour ; all the other parts above cinereous- brown ; quills and tail dusky, edged with nsh-colour; from throat to vent, including the under toil-coverts, silvery white; the](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b28089935_0405.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
