3§ 



This species is extremely sensitive to cold, which perhaps ex- 

 plains why it is never found in exposed and elevated situations ; 

 I have never found it in Devonshire above 600 feet. In my aviary, 

 the Cirl Buntings are always the first to seek the shelter of the 

 warm covered house as soon as a shower comes on. They may 

 then be seen sitting in a row on a shelf preening themselves and 

 enjoying the warm dry air given off by the hot water pipes, whilst 

 little Waxbills from tropical Africa are enjoying a good bath in 

 a puddle outside and defying the elements. 



Its second requirement, I think, is seclusion and plenty 

 of covert, but the latter must not consist of woods but of thick 

 hedges, banks and hillsides well set with gorse and scrub. This 

 too we can understand for, when we come to study the bird in an 

 aviary, we at once notice its shy retiring nature. 



It has been remarked by a writer in " British Birds" (Feb. 

 190S) that the Cirl Bunting has a preference for a limestone soil. 

 I believe this is not a fanciful assumption for I have an entry in 

 my note-book somewhat to the same effect, uaniel)', that though 

 found in the winter on the sandstone tract which lies between 

 Babbacombe and Exmouth, it seems to choose a limestone dis- 

 trict for nesting. This no doubt is to be explained by its 

 requirements in the matter of food. In the winter its staple food 

 consists of grass seeds and, at this time of the year, it may some- 

 times be seen amongst the flocks of Yellowhammers round the 

 farmer's cornstacks, but in the summer months it is largely an 

 insectivorous bird. The young are fed exclusively on insects and 

 the female during incubation is fed by the male on the same diet. 

 I once spent a whole afternoon watching a pair of Cirl Buntings 

 feeding a nest of young. The nest was in a thick hedge and, 

 every time the parents returned with a fresh supply of food, they 

 alighted on a tall stake about twenty yards from the nest, so that 

 by focussing my binoculars on the stake, I was soon able to 

 ascertain that they were feeding principally with spiders. Now 

 a limestone soil (and still more a chalk soil) is very favourable to 

 the Arachnidse. 



In the winter theCiil Buntings seem to roam about finding 

 food where they can, either singly or in small companies of three 

 or four individuals. At this season I have often seen them 



