2o8 RUSTIC BUNTING. 



it is supposed to breed in the mountainous regions to the north of 

 Mongolia, and in Turkestan, as well as in Northern Siberia. In 

 Western Siberia it appears to be very local. 



Nothing is really known of the nesting habits of this Bunting ; and 

 although Mr. Dresser has described a nest and eggs sent to him from 

 Archangel, staled to belong to this species, while Mr. Seebohm has 

 figured two eggs — unlike each other — from the Altai and Archangel 

 respectively, none of them are really authenticated. The bird arrives 

 in Northern Russia about the beginning of May, and frequents the 

 open portions of swampy fir-woods, where it is supposed to breed, 

 as in such situations Herr Meves met with two broods in July. 

 The young are said to feed upon oats and other grain. The song 

 is described -by Dr. von Middendorff as rich and melodious, while 

 the call-note is a sharp cry, not unlike that of the Redwing. 



Adult male in breeding-plumage : crown of the head, lores and 

 ear-patches black ; above and behind each eye a broad white stripe, 

 and a small patch of the same colour on the nape ; mantle, upper 

 wing-coverts and rump chestnut-brown, with some blackish streaks 

 on the upper back ; greater and middle wing-coverts broadly tipped 

 with white, which forms two conspicuous bars ; secondaries with dark 

 brown centres and reddish-buff margins ; quills ash-brown : tail- 

 feathers chiefly dark brown, but the exterior pair with the greater 

 part of their webs white, and the second pair with a long white 

 streak from near the base to the tip of the inner web ; throat and 

 belly white ; breast broadly banded with chestnut, and flanks streaked 

 with the same ; bill dark brown above, yellowish below ; legs pink- 

 ish-yellow. Length 5-4 in.; wing 3-2 in. In the female the head 

 and ear-patches are brownish, mottled with black, and the chestnut 

 tints on the back and chest are less pronounced. The young bird 

 in August has the upper parts warm tawny- brown with blackish 

 streaks ; under parts dull white, streaked with dark brown, and 

 suffused with rufous-buff, with a faint chestnut tinge on the breast 

 and flanks. 



