BIRDS OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



39 



Cirl Buntincj, 



The Cirl Bunting {Emberiza cirlus^ Linnaeus) is a very 

 local species, being principally found in the South of 

 England. It is also met with in Western Europe, Southern 

 Europe, Asia Minor, Algeria, and North-Western Africa. 

 The colouration of the adult male is, above, chestnut, 

 with black streaks. Head and hinder part of neck, olive, 

 streaked with black ; rump, greenish-olive, with streaks of 

 dusky ; eye-stripe and one below, yellow ; lores and ear- 

 coverts, black ; throat, black, succeeded by a collar of pale 

 sulphur colour ; underneath is a band of olive-grey, followed 

 by stripes of reddish-brown running down the flanks ; 

 abdomen, pale dull yellow; irides, brown; bill, leaden 

 colour; legs and feet, pale brown. Length, about six 

 inches. The female has no black or yellow markings on 

 the face. 



