28 



EMBEUIZID.^. 



horn-colour, the lower mandible yellowish ; the plumage 

 generally resembles that of the female, but the light-coloured 

 borders of the feathers are so long as to conceal nearly all 

 the darker part, and while those of the crown of the head, 

 the nape and back are edged with ochreous-grey, those of a 

 stripe on each side of the vertex, and of the wing-coverts, 

 tertials and inner secondaries are more rufous ; the line 

 immediately over the eye, and the front and sides of the 

 neck are pale ochreous, but the ear-coverts and the streak 

 from the lower corner of the mandible are distinctly marked 

 with dark brown ; the pectoral gorget is ill-defined, and the 

 longitudinal streaks which mark it are continued along the 

 sides of the body and flanks. Young males seem to acquire 

 the black head in the spring following their first winter. 



It was proposed by Friedrich Boie (Isis, 1826, p. 974) 

 to separate this species from the genus Emheriza, but 

 whatever reason he might have had for so doing he gave 

 none, and it seems to the Editor that none which can be 

 deemed sufficient is assignable. Nevertheless Boie's pro- 

 posed genus Cynchrartius has been adopted by several 

 writers. 



The vignette below represents the breast-bones of the great 

 Bunting, to be presently described, and the Eeed-Buntiug. 



