122 TnK Ortolan Buxtixg 



belly, aud under tail-coverts pale reddish-browu ; beak vinous-brown ; feet reddish 

 clay-coloured ; iris dark brown. The female is altogether duller aud browuer than 

 the male, the head greener and streaked with dark brown. Young birds nearly 

 resemble the female, but are yellower and more streaked below, and onl\' have 

 white patches on the two outer pairs of tail-feathers. 



After the autumn moult the head and breast of this species are somewhat 

 greener, and the beak paler, more flesh-coloured. 



According to Hamilton, the Hindostani name for this bird is "Jamjohara." 



Respecting the habits of this bird when at libert}*, Seebohm remarks: — "I 

 found the Ortolan Bunting breeding on the mountains in the pine-regions both 

 of Greece and Asia Minor. When I was at Valconswaard, we constantly heard its 

 plaintive monotonous song, as it sat perched for a long time on the branch of a 

 tree in the lanes, or in the hedges that surround the fields close to the village ; 

 and in the wilder districts of Norway, when driving in our carioles from Lille- 

 hammer towards the Dovre Fjeld, it was by no means uncommon in the trees by 

 the roadside. It is not a shy bird, and frequently remains for a very long time 

 on the same twig, generally near the top of the tree, especially in the evening, 

 when its simple song harmonizes with the melancholy stillness of the outskirts of 

 the country village." 



The nest of the Ortolan is formed in the latter half of INIay, being placed 

 in a slight depression "on the ground amongst herbage, under bushes, or in the 

 open fields. It is formed of dry grass strengthened with roots, and is lined with 

 rootlets and hair. The eggs number from four to six, and vary from pale lilac to 

 rosy-salmon, boldly blotched, spotted, aud slightl}^ streaked with purplish-black, 

 chiefly towards the larger extremity, where the markings sometimes form au 

 imperfect zone ; the shell-markings are violet-greyish ; in form they vary much 

 in the same manner as eggs of the Yellow Hammer. 



The food of this bird does not materiall}- differ from that of the other species 

 of Emberiza, consisting mainly of insects in spring and summer, and of seeds and 

 grain in autumn aud winter. 



The song of the Ortolan Bunting consists of one melauchol}- whistled note 

 repeated five times, the fifth repetition being prolonged — " Hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo, /loooo." 

 I have heard it dozens of times, and am absolutely certain that this is a fact. 

 To be sure of a song, it is necessary to make a note of the exact sounds whilst 

 the bird is uttering them ; if you wait until you are Ij'iug in bed in a somnolent 

 condition and attempt to recall a song, you ma}- feel quite positive that you have 

 hit upon the very notes ; you reach over to your pockets and abstract pencil aud 

 paper to jot the phrase down before it escapes 3'ou : later on, 30U compare 3our 



