172 THE BIRDS OF NORTHAMPTONSHIRE 



strictly dieted. For a description of the nest and 

 eggs of this species, I must refer my readers to Yarrell 

 and other authors ; the usual nesting-places appear 

 to be amongst masses of stones or in crevices of rocks, 

 and the bird has been known to breed in captivity in 

 a hole amongst artiricial rock-work. 



Since the above article was written, I have received 

 several notices of the occurrence of Snow-Buntings 

 in our county ; but the only one that I consider as 

 worthy of special record is that of a flock of about 

 100 of these birds near Wadenhoe Reservoir on 

 January 22, 1881 : from this flock my friend 

 Mr. Thomas Hunt, R.N., shot five, and sent four 

 of them to me in London. These were all in the 

 first year's plumage. 



74. REED-BUNTING. 



Emherlza schosniclus. 



This bird is sparingly distributed along our river- 

 valley during the summer, and is well known to our 

 country-people as Reed-Sparrow. In the early spring 

 the cock bird may be seen perched on a tall reed or 

 bush near the w^ater, from which position he con- 

 stantly repeats his short and monotonous song. All 

 the nests which we have met with were situated on 

 the ground, or the crust formed by the roots of the 

 common reed, and were composed of moss and sedge, 

 with a lining of reed-tops, and sometimes a little hair. 

 The eggs, generally five or six in number, are pale 

 brown, with blotches and irregular streaks of black 

 or very dark brown. I have found a nest with a full 

 complement of eggs as early as March 23rd ; but, 



