Notes from Japan. 157 



Avliicli is an uncommon cliaracteristic in members of the 

 genus, the majority ])rererring a more or less open type of 

 country. SiebolcFs Bunting possesses a very fair song, some- 

 thing like that of a Linnet, and on this account it is not 

 infrequently kept in cages by the Japanese. Its nest — 

 composed of rough grasses and lined with fern-rootlets and 

 hair — is placed in a low bush or young spruce, from one to 

 five feet from the ground. It apparently breeds from the 

 middle of May onwards to the commencement of July (Jouy, 

 Proc. U.S. Nat. Mas. 1883). The female is a close sitter. 



The average measurement of the eggs is 0*7 X 0'56 it\ 

 As Seebohm points out (B. of Jap. Emp. p. 135), these 

 resemble the eggs of the Garden-Warbler, but examples in 

 my collection may be recognised by having more of the 

 Bunting-streaks on them. 



4G. Emberiza persoxata Temm. Japanese Bunting. 



Emberiza personata Seebohm, B. Jap. Emp. p. 130. 



Jap. : Awoji. 



If anything, this Bunting outnumbered the foregoing- 

 species and I found over a dozen nests round Subashiri, all, 

 with a single exception, being placed on the ground. Ac- 

 cording to the Japanese collector, it is unusual to find this 

 bird building in any other situation, and the nest I took from 

 a bush three feet from the ground was no doubt exceptional. 

 In habits this species seems to be closely allied to Siebold's 

 Bunting, and its song bears a likeness to that bird's, although 

 perhaps less varied and not so pleasing. 



The eggs vary both in colour and shape. The shell is 

 bluish white, densely blotched with lilac underlying marks 

 and russet-brown or purplish-brown overlying marks, and 

 with sometimes a few irregular lines of a darker shade. 

 The lilac underlying blotches will occasionally predominate. 

 In size they range from 0*85 x 0'56 to 0*71 x 0'58 in. 



47. HiRUNDo GUTTURALis (Scop.). Eastcm Chimney- 

 Swallow. 



Hirundo rustica gatturalis Seebohm, B. Jap. Emp. p. 141. 

 Jap. : Tsubame. 



