THE CIRL BUNTING 



Emberiza cirlus 



The Cirl Bunting is just as locally, as the Yellow 

 Bunting is widely, distributed, and its breeding area 

 is restricted to the southern half of England. Even 

 within this area it is extremely local. Its breeding 

 range may be said to extend from Cornwall to Kent, 

 thence northwards through the counties of Surrey, 

 Middlesex, Herts, and Bedford, and along the Thames 

 valley to Gloucester, thence onwards through the 

 valleys of the Avon and Severn to Warwick, Wor- 

 cester and Hereford. Its extra British limits are 

 proportionately restricted, embracing Central and 

 Southern Europe, as far north as Dresden and as 

 far east as the Crimea and Asia Minor. To 

 North-west Africa it is a winter migrant, but a few 

 apparently remain to breed there. 



The Cirl Bunting was first distinguished as a 



British bird by Montagu at the beginning of the 



present century. He first discovered it in South 



Devonshire, and we can testify to the bird's abund- 

 194 



