BLACK-HEADED BUNTING. 165 
EMBERIZA MELANOCEPHALA. 
BLACK-HEADED BUNTING. 
(Puate 15.) 
Emberiza melanocephala, Scop. Ann. I. Hist. Nat. p. 142 (1769); et auctorum 
plurimorum—Gmelin, Latham, Temminck, (Degland § Gerbe), (Salvadori), 
(Savi), Newton, Dresser, &c. 
Tanagra melanictera, Giild. N. Comm. Acad. Sci. Imp. Petrop. xix. p. 466 (1775). 
Fringilla crocea, Viedll. Ois. Chant. pl. 27 (1805). 
Passerina melanocephala (Scop.), Vieill. N. Dict. d’ Hist. Nat, xxv. p. 28 (1817). 
Xanthornus caucasicus, Pall. Zoogr. Rosso-Asiat. i. p. 428 (1826). 
Emberiza granativora, Ménétr. Cat. Rais. Cauc, p. 40 (1832). 
Euspiza melanocephala (Scop.), Bonap. Comp. List B. Eur. & N. Amer. p. 32 (1888). 
Euspiza simillima, Blyth, Journ. As. Soc. Beng. xviii. p. 811 (1849). 
Kuspiza atricapilla, Brehm, Naumannia, 1855, p. 277. 
Granativora melanocephala (Scop.), Bonap. Cat, Parzud. p. 5 (1856), 
The claim of the Black-headed Bunting to be considered a British bird 
rests upon a solitary example said to have been shot near Brighton. Its 
alleged appearance was recorded by the late Mr. Gould, who in ‘The 
Ibis’ for 1869, p. 128, writes respecting it as follows :—‘‘I have now to 
inform you of the occurrence of Emberiza (Euspiza) melanocephala, of 
which a very fine old female specimen, in perfect plumage, is now before 
me. It was brought to me by Mr. Robert Brazener, of 23 Lewes Road, 
Brighton, by whom it was shot about the 3rd of November last, near Mr. 
Ballard’s windmill, on Brighton racecourse, while, as he stated, ‘it was 
following a flock of Yellow Hammers.’ His two sons were with him at 
the time. On an examination of the bird, a number of eggs were found 
in the ovarium. This is all the information I was able to obtain respecting 
it.” Whatever doubt may rest upon this statement, the fact that the 
Black-headed Bunting has unquestionably occurred on Heligoland makes 
it probable that it has also visited our shores, and is sufficient excuse for 
including it in the present work. 
The geographical distribution of the Black-headed Bunting is a very 
extraordinary one, the line of migration taken by this species, although 
not unique amongst European birds, being very exceptional. In Italy it 
breeds in the Riviera and on both shores of the Adriatic. It is a common 
summer visitor to Greece and Turkey; and I have shot it as far north as 
the Dobrudscha. It is equally common in Asia Minor, the Caucasus, 
Palestine, and Persia, passes through Afghanistan and Scinde on migra- 
tion, and winters in Western and Central India. Since it has never 
occurred in Africa, and such a conspicuous bird could scarcely be over- 
