358 ZOOLOGY. 



Sub-fam. 5. Emberizince, or Buntings. Bill conic, acute, lateral margins^^ 

 sinuated, interior of upper mandible furnished with a knob-like projectioii^B. 

 from the palate ; wings moderate, rather pointed ; tarsi and feet rather long 

 and slender. Size small, but generally larger than the preceding. 



This sub-family contains about sixty species of birds, considerably resem- 

 bling those of the preceding in general characters and appearance. They 

 are natives of all countries of the globe, but principally the northern and 

 temperate regions. 



The black-throated bunting (Etnberiza americana) inhabits the whole of 

 the United States. It is a very pretty bird, w^ith plumage striped brown 

 above and pale yellow beneath the body, with the throat black. It l^f^'es 

 almost exclusively in meadows where the grass is most abundant, in which 

 it constructs its nest. It is remarkable for being one of the very first birds 

 that leaves for the south towards the end of summer, and before there is 

 any decrease of temperature or appearance of autumn. This bird leaves 

 in Auc^ust. The European species are the yellowhammer, E. citrinella 

 {pi. 101, fig. 15), the corn bunting {E. miliaria), the cirl bunting {E. 

 cirlus), the ortolan, E. hortulana {pi. 101, fig. 13), the reed bunting, E. 

 schceniculus {pi. 101, fig. 14), and some others. 



Several birds belonging to this group inhabit the high northern latitudes, 

 but occasionally visit the temperate parts of Europe and North America in 

 winter. The snow bunting {Plectrophanes nivalis), the Lapland long-spur 

 (P. lapponicus), the painted bunting (P. pictus), and another species (P. 

 ornatus), are the species alluded to. 



Sub-fam. 6. Alaudince, or Larks. Bill usually lengthened and slender, 

 but sometimes short ; wings long, with the tertials as long as the primaries ; 

 tarsi and feet long, and rather robust; claws long. Size small. 



A small sub-family containing the larks of the .old continent, and a few 

 American birds known as shore or horned larks. 



One European species is very celebrated ; it is the skylark, Alauda 

 arvensis {pi. 102, fig. 7), which sings while rising in the air to an immense 

 height, and especially in the early morning. Several other species are 

 also admired songsters, such as the crested lark, A. cristata {pi. 102, 

 fig. 6), and the field lark, A. calandria {pi. 102, fig. 5). 



The shore lark or horned lark of the Atlantic portion of the United 

 States {A. alpestris) is a bird which is native of the north, and migrates 

 towards the Southern States in the winter, at which time this bird is 

 abundant along the roadsides and other exposed places. 



Several species inhabit India and Africa, and appear to be very common 

 in similar situations during their migrations. 



These birds must not be confounded with the birds usually called larks 

 in the United States, which do not belong here. 



Through the taste and perseverance of some gentlemen of the city of 

 New York the European skylark has been naturalized to a considerable 

 extent in Long Island, and is likely to become a permanent and very 

 agreeable addition to the singing birds of the United States. 



Sub-fam. 7. Pyrrhulince, or Bullfinches. Bill very short, strong, arched, 

 6G2 



