42 



EMBERIZHXE. 



brown, with lighter edges ; chin, throat, breast and lower 

 parts of the body, dull whitish-brown, marked on the sides 

 of the neck and on the breast with arrow-headed spots of 

 dark brown ; the flanks streaked with dark brown : legs, 

 toes and claws, pale yellow brown. 



The whole length is rather more than seven inches. From 

 the carpal joint to the end of the wing, three inches and 

 three-quarters : the fourth primary the longest in the wing ; 

 the fifth a little shorter than the second. 



There is very little difference in the plumage of the sexes ; 

 but some examples are deeply tinged with yellow, while 

 British specimens are usually much darker in colour than 

 those of the Continent, some of which, especially from eastern 

 localities, are very pale in hue. The young greatly resemble 

 the adults, but some difference of opinion has been expressed 

 as to whether they are in their first plumage lighter or 

 darker than their parents. 



The figures below represent the foot and skull of the 

 Bunting, in the latter of which may be seen the palatal 

 knob on the upper mandible, and the opposed cutting angle 

 of the lower jaw, characteristic of most of the true Buntings. 



