162 BIRDS OF SOMERSETSHIRE. 
tainly more properly—called, the “‘ Lark Bunting,” 
is not very uncommon in parts of the county, and is 
resident throughout the year; but it seems to be 
capricious in its choice of localities: in this neigh- 
bourhood I have never been able to find it, although 
the country would appear to suit its habits in every 
way, except perhaps that the soil is not sufficiently 
clayey. 
The food of this bird consists principally of 
erain and seeds. Yarrell quotes an instance of its 
doing much damage in search of the former :—‘ It 
could hardly be supposed that this bird, not larger 
than a Lark, is capable of doing such serious injury ; 
yet I this morning witnessed a rick of barley standing 
in a detached field entirely stripped of its thatching, 
which this Bunting effected by seizing the end of the 
straw and deliberately drawing it out to search for 
any grain it might contain.” ‘To balance this pro- 
pensity, certainly mischievous in case of a badly- 
built rick, this bird feeds also on the seeds of 
various weeds, and the young birds, as is the case 
with many of the Conirostres, are fed with insects 
and their larvee.* 
The nest is usually placed on or very near the 
ground, concealed amongst coarse herbage or thick 
bramble-bushes: it 1s made of straw and roots, 
mixed with dry grass, and is lined with hair. 
* Yarrell, vol. 1., p. 505. 
