THE BIRDS OF HELIGOLAND 377 



coloured streaks on tlie shafts arc only slightly darker than the 

 ground. In E. pusilla, on the other hand, these streaks in all the 

 different stages of plumage are pure black, and sharply defined 

 from the ground-colour of the feathers, which in tliLs species, on 

 the upper portion and sides of the breast, is very frequently pure 

 white. 



The niost characteristic marking, however, of this Bunting is 

 that of the head. A bright ferruginous broad median streak runs 

 along the crowTi of the head from the beak to the nape ; this is 

 bordered on each side by a somewhat narrower black streak of 

 equal length ; the lores and oar-coverts are also ferruginous, the 

 latter edged by a black line. Broad buff-coloured (rostgelbe) eye- 

 streaks extend behind to the back of the head, then bend down- 

 wards, embracing the ear-coverts, and thence upwards as far as the 

 lower mandible. From the angles of the latter, broad black stripes 

 extend downwards along both sides of the throat as far as the 

 upper breast. The throat and upper breast are bufty white 

 (rostgelblieh weiss), each feather of the latter with a black streak 

 on the shaft. 



The measurements of freshly-killed birds are as follows : — Total 

 length, from 5 ins. (127 mm.) to 5-31 ins. (135 mm.); length of 

 wings, from 2-64 ins. (67 mm.) to 2-76 in.s. (70 mm.) ; length of tail, 

 2-20 ins. (.56 mm.); length of wing uncovered by tail, 1-22 in. (31 

 lum.) to 138 in. (35 mm.). The biU. measures -27 in. (7 mm.), and 

 is very pointed ; the upper mandible is not arched, but compressed 

 before the tip. The tarsus measures 67 in. (17 m?;i.). The nails of 

 the hinder toes are short and much curved ; the feet are small and 

 whitish flesh-coloured. 



I have in my possession an egg of this bird, collected by 

 Seebohm on the 30th of June 1877 on the Jenesei in 67° N. latitude. 

 It is -67 in. (17 mm.) long, -55 in. (l-l vim.) broad, therefore of rather 

 circular shape. It has neither fine veins nor dots, but in its mark- 

 ings presents the characters of some eggs of the Common Bunting ; 

 the ground is dull ochreous white with large reddish violet blotches, 

 the markmgs consisting of reddish sepia-brown spiral lines, short 

 commas and spots, some of which appear nearly black, with some- 

 what lighter edges. 



The breeding range of this small Bunting extends from the 

 Dwina and Petchora to the extreme east of Asia. Seebohm met 

 with it on the Jenesei up to 71° N. latitude; Middendorft' in the 

 Taimj'r Peninsula, and Schrenk on the Lower Amoor. Solitaiy 

 individuals have, during the autumn migration, reached as far as 

 the south of France. It has been killed several times in Italy, once 

 in Sweden, and once in England. 



