BLACK-HEADED BUNTING. 8l 



insects and seeds, and in winter, when it wanders in small 

 nomadic flocks to a distance from its usual haunts, it consorts 

 with other birds in the stubbles. 



The site of the nest is usually in a bush or hedge from a few 

 inches to several feet above the ground, but occasionally on 

 a bank, especially amongst the roots of a tree. The materials 

 are pfactically the same as those used by the Yellow Hammer, 

 but with more moss in most cases. The three to five eggs 

 have bolder scribbles as a rule, and are smaller and paler in 

 ground colour (Plate 41) ; some are richly blotched and streaked 

 with chocolate, black, or nearly black irregular markings. Two 

 broods are reared ; the first eggs are seldom laid before May. 



The head of the male in summer is olive-green streaked with 

 brown ; the sides of the face are lemon-yellow with a con- 

 spicuous black line through the eye, and the throat is black. 

 Pale yellow on the breast is followed by an olive band, and the 

 upper parts are less rufous than in the Yellow Hammer, and 

 are olive on wing coverts and rump. Below the breast is pale 

 yellow, shading to chestnut on the flanks, which are streaked ; 

 the white on the outer tail feathers is noticeable. The bill is 

 brown above and paler below ; the legs brownish yellow, and 

 the irides hazel. The female, as shown in the plate, is duller, 

 browner and more streaked than the male ; she lacks the black 

 on the head and chin. After the autumn moult pale edges 

 obscure most of the black on the male and dull the plumage 

 generally. The young are like the female, but less bright. 

 Length, 6 ins. Wing, •3-15 ins. Tarsus, 7 in. 



Black-headed Bunting. Emberiza melajwcephala Scop. 



This southern European bird usually migrates east to India, 

 but has occasionally wandered north and west to Germany and 

 France ; it has reached as on at least nine occasions, and has 

 been taken so far north as the Shetlands. 



Series I. G 



