usually supposed, as there are many places well suited to it, but its
rather dull plumage, and its habit of hiding itself in thick
furze-bushes, and creeping from one to another as soon as disturbed,
contribute to keep it much out of sight, unless one knows and can
imitate its call-note, in which case the male bird will soon answer and
flutter up to the topmost twig of the furze-bush in which it may have
previously been concealed, fluttering its wings, and repeating the call
until again disturbed. This is the only occurrence of which I am aware
in any of the Islands, included in the limits I have prescribed for
myself; but Mr. Harvie Brown has recorded two seen by him near Grève de
Lecq, in Jersey, in January. See 'Zoologist' for 1869, p. 1561.

It is not included in Professor Ansted's list, and there is no specimen
in the Museum.


38. WHITETHROAT. _Sylvia rufa_, Boddaert. French, "Fauvette grise,"
"Bec-fin Grisette."--The Whitethroat has hitherto perhaps been better
known by the name used in the former edition of 'Yarrell' and by Messrs.
Degland and Gerbe, _Curruca cinerea_, but in consequence of the
inexorable rule of the British Association the name "_rufa_," given by
Boddaert in 1783, has now been accepted for this bird. I have not
generally thought it necessary to point out these changes, but in this
instance it seemed necessary to do so, as in the former edition of
'Yarrell' the Chiffchaff was called by the name _Sylvia rufa_, and this
might possibly have caused some confusion unless the change had been
pointed out.

The Whitethroat is by no means so common in the Channel Islands as it is
in England, and though a regular summer visitant it only makes its