50 THE NESTS AND EGGS OF BRTTISH BIRDS. 



Family FKINGILLID/E. Genus Emberiza. 



Sub-family EMBERIZINAL. 



REED BUNTING. 



Emberiza schceniclus, Linmviis. 

 Double Brooded. Laying season, April to June. 



British breeding area : The Reed Bunting breeds 

 more or less commonly, if somewliat locally, in all suit- 

 able districts throughout the British Islands, extending 

 even to the Hebrides and the Orkneys. 



Breeding habits: The principal haunts of the Reed 

 Bunting are close to water of some description — disused 

 brick- and clay-fields, the Lanks of slow-running rivers 

 and streams, canals, and ponds ; and in wilder country 

 the swamps and marshes in uncultivated districts. The 

 Reed Bunting pairs early in spring, the male regaining 

 his love-song towards the end of March or early in April. 

 It is for the most part a solitary bird during the breed- 

 ing season, living in pairs, and each pair keeping to a 

 certain beat. The first nests are commenced about the 

 middle of April in the southern districts, but nearly a 

 month later further north. The nest is generally built 

 on or quite close to the ground, but never suspended, as 

 was once popularly supposed. It is usually built in the 

 centre of a tuft of rushes, or beneath the shelter of the 

 same, or well concealed amongst grass and other plants 

 on the banks of the water. Hewitson has found the nest 

 of this species, although rarely, on a bunch of reeds 

 several feet above the water ; whilst Jardine remarked it 

 not uncommonly in plantations of spruce fir, from three 

 to nine feet from the ground. The nest is made exter- 

 nally of dry grass, moss, bits of withered reeds and flags, 

 and internally of finer gras^;, hair, and the dry flowers of 

 reeds. It is rather loosely put together, but well and 



