Descriptive List of the Common Birds 



The Buntings, 83-85 



The yellow-hammer, with its song of "A 

 little bit of bread and no che-e-e-ese," has 

 rendered the bunting clan familiar to every 

 EngHshman. Buntings are finch-like birds 

 vAxh conical bills, mostly rather larger than 

 the sparrow. 



Several species visit the plains of India in 

 large numbers every cold weather and wax 

 fat on the grain crops. They occur in large 

 noisy flocks, making merry among the various 

 cereal crops and taking refuge in trees when 

 disturbed. The species most commonly seen 

 are E. bucha?ia?ii, E. melanocefhala, and E. 

 luteola. 



83. Emberiza buchanani : The Grey-necked 

 Bunting. (F. 795), (J. 716), ( + 1.) 



There is nothing striking in the appearance 

 of this bird. The upper plumage is ashy 

 brown, the shaft of each feather being darker 

 than the web, giving the bird a streaked 

 appearance. The lower parts are reddish 

 brown. There is some white in the tail 

 visible only during flight. There is an incon- 

 spicuous white ring round the eye. 



This occurs only in the N.W. parts of India. 

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