THE TRUE BUNTINGS. 63 



chiefly at the larger end, but in many cases distributed over 

 the egg. Axis, ro-n inch; diam., 07-075. 



THE BUNTINGS. SUB-FAMILY EMBERIZIN^E. 



A very widely-distributed group of birds, especially developed 

 in Northern and Southern America, and likewise spread over 

 the greater part of the Old World, but not occurring in the 

 Malay Archipelago, Australia, and the Pacific Islands. 



The form of the bill is the best character for separating the 

 Buntings from the other Finches, for the angle of the chin is 

 very strongly marked and the bill is usually gaping — that is to 

 say, there is a distinct gap in the outline of the closed bill. 

 Many Buntings have a knob-like protuberance on the palate or 

 roof of the mouth. 



THE TRUE BUNTINGS. GENUS EMBERIZA. 



Emberiza, Briss., Orn., iii., p. 257 (1760). 



Type, E. citri?ulla Linn. 



In the true Buntings, as distinguished from the Long-spurs, 

 the hind claw is not strongly developed, and is never longer 

 than the hind toe. The wing is scarcely longer than the tail, 

 the nostrils are hidden by little bristly plumes, and the tail has 

 always a white pattern in it, very conspicuous during flight. 



I. THE REED-BUNTING. EMBERIZA SCH/ENICLUS. 



Emberiza schcenicius, Linn., S. N., i., p. 311 (1766); Macg., 

 Br. B., i., p. 453 (1837); Newt. ed. Yarr., ii., p. 23 

 (1876) ; Dresser, B. Eur., iv., p. 241, pis. 221-222 (1878) ; 

 B. O. U. List Br. B., p.-62 (1883) j Sharpe, Cat. B. Brit. 

 Mus., xii., p. 480 (1888); Saunders, Man., p. 211 (1889). 



Adult Male. — Rufous above, streaked with black, and with 

 pale edgings to the feathers ; lower back and rump ashy 

 grey, streaked with black ; scapulars and lesser wing-coverts 

 chestnut, the former streaked with black ; head and throat 

 black ; under surface of body white, streaked with black on the 



