BIRDS OF EGYPT, 147 



1 14. Emberiza inteemedia, Michah. Smaller Beed-Buniing. 



(Plate III. fig. 2.) 



I met with a single specimen of this Bunting (a female) in 

 the reedy marsh near Damietta on the 22nd of March, and 

 brought home the skin. 



Von Heuglin never observed this species himself in North- 

 eastern Africa (Orn. N. 0. Afr. p. 668), but includes it on 

 t*' J authority of De Selys-Longchamps, who says that it is 

 found at Damietta ; so that it is evidently of rare occurrence 

 in Egypt, and, as far as we know, confined to a very limited 

 portion of the Delta. 



Female. — Top of the head and ear- coverts mixed rufoiis 

 and sandy brown, the centres of the feathers black ; nape 

 blacker ; back of the neck ashy brown ; back and wing- 

 feathers dark brown, broadly edged with rufous and pale 

 brown ; rump ashy brown ; upper tail-coverts rufous brown ; 

 tail, outer feather, and apical thii'd of the next one white, 

 with some brown along the shaft, remainder of the tail dark 

 brown with pale edgings ; throat and feathers round the ear- 

 coverts yellowish white, with two broad brown stripes on 

 each side of the throat ; remainder of the underparts creamy- 

 white, with rufous-brown streaks on the centres of the fea- 

 thers of the chest and flanks ; beak and legs dark brown ; 

 irides brown ; diameter of the beak 0'3. 



Entire length 5"8 inches ; culmen 0"4 ; wing, carpus to 

 tip, 3 ; tarsus 0"8. 



Male. — Top of the head, nape, cheeks, ear-coverts, and 

 throat black; under the ear-coverts, sides and back of the 

 neck, and under surface of the bodv white. 



