NON-INDIGENOUS BRITISH BIRDS. 23 



tion is chiefly performed by the female, but the duration 

 of the period is unknown. 



Diagnostic characters : The eggs of the Lapland 

 Bunting may be confused with those of the Tree Pipit 

 and the Red-throated Pipit, and as the measurements 

 of the eggs of all three species intergrade no reliable 

 point of distinction can be given. It may be remarked, 

 however, that the Tree Pipit does not intrude upon the 

 breeding area of the Lapland Bunting, so that locality is 

 sufficient to identify the eggs of the latter ; whilst in 

 both these Pipits the nest is never lined with feathers, 

 but the Bunting's invariably is. 



Family FRINGILLID.E. Genus Emberiza. 



Sub-family EMBERIZIN^. 



BLACK -HEADED BUNTIiNG. 



Emberiza melanocephala, Scopoli. 

 (British : Very rare abnormal spring and autumn migrant.) 



Single Brooded. Laying season, latter half of May and 

 early in June. 



Breeding area : South-western Pala^arctic region. 

 The Black-headed Bunting breeds in Northern Italy, 

 Dalmatia, Turkey, Greece, the Danubian Provinces, 

 Southern Russia, the Caucasus, Asia Minor, Palestine, 

 and Northern Persia. 



Breeding habits : The Black-headed Bunting does 

 not arrive at its western breeding grounds until the end 

 of April. It is in no way gregarious during the summer 

 months, not even social, but in districts where it is 



