68 Lloyd's natural history. 



no white eyebrow. Total length, 7 inches ; culmen. o'6 ; wing, 

 3*65 ; tail, 2-9 ; tarsus, 0*9. 



In winter all the bright colours are obscured by ashy mar- 

 gins to the feathers, the black head and chestnut back being 

 entirely hidden by these margins, which wear off in springtime. 



Adnlt Female. — Differs from the male, and is much duller in 

 colour. The sides of the body are not streaked, the bill is 

 blackish (bluish-grey in life); rump with concealed chestnut 

 markings ; no black on the head ; under tail-coverts yellow ; 

 abdomen isabelline. Total length, 6 inches ; wing, 3-35. 



Range in Great Britain. — A rare and accidental visitor. Has 

 occurred three times : near Brighton ; in Nottinghamshire; and 

 in Scotland, near Dunfermline. 



Range outside the British Islands. — From Italy to Greece and 

 Turkey, eastward to Persia and the Caucasus, and wintering in 

 the Indian Peninsula. Its migration is therefore strictly east 

 and west. It arrives in South-eastern Europe at the end of 

 April, and leaves again at the end of July or the beginning of 

 August. 



Hahits. — According to Mr. Seebohm, who has studied the 

 habits of the bird in Greece and Asia Minor, it is a thorough 

 Bunting, and he gives some interesting notes on the species. 



Mest. — Placed in a small bush or on the ground ; a bulky 

 structure, very rough outside, but neatly finished inside. "The 

 main portion is constructed," writes Mr. Seebohm, " entirely 

 of the yellow dry stalks of various small flowering-plants, the 

 seed-capsules on which are the most prominent object and are 

 conjoined with the stiffness of the stalks, which prevents them 

 from bending easily; this gives the nest a very slender and un- 

 finished look. The lining is of entirely different materials, 

 brown instead of yellow, and consists of dry grass, roots, and 

 slender stalks without any seed-capsules, with not unfrequently 

 a final addition of goat's-hair, or a few horse-hairs." 



Eggs.— Four to six in number. Ground-colour very pale, 

 greenish-white, speckled with numerous dots of light brown, 

 with overlying spots of reddish-brown, these spots generally 

 distributed over the egg, but in some instances collecting at 

 the larger end. Axis, 0*85-0*98 ; diam., 06-07. 



