142 EMBERIZA. 



Subfamily I. EMBEEIZIN^. 



The Buntings, which constitute this subfamily, may be easily recognised 

 by the form of the bill. They usually place their cup-shaped nests on or 

 near the ground, and their eggs are generally characterised by some hair- 

 like streaks. 



This subfamily is only represented in the Ethiopian Region by two 

 genera comprising 15 species, a small proportion of the 224 species referred 

 to this group in the " Catalogue of Birds." 



KEY TO THE GENERA. 



a. Tail with a white pattern on the outer feathers Embcriza. 



b. Tail without any white pattern Fringillaria. 



Genus I. EMBEBIZA. 



The genus is found in Africa, Europe and Asia, and out of the two dozen 

 species known, seven occur on the African continent, of which two, E. 

 hortulana and E. cce&ia, leave that country in summer. 



Tyfc. 



Emberiza, Briss. Orn. iii. p. 257 (1760) E. cirinella. 



Glycispina, Cab. Mus. Hein. Th. i. p. 128 (1850) . . . E. hortulana. 



Polymitra, Cab. t. c. p. 129 E. flaviventris. 



KEY TO THE SPECIES. 



a. Some bright yellow on the chest ; under tail- 

 coverts white. 

 fti. Back more uniform; mantle cinnamon. 

 a^. Some white on the wing-coverts. 



a^. No dark streaks on the mantle . . . Jlavlventiis, ad. 

 h^. Some dark streaks on the mantle . . flaviventris, juv. 

 b". No white on the wing-coverts .... ajfinis. /v g 

 b^. Back strongly mottled. 



c". Sides of the breast white ijoliopleura. 'v^ 



d". Sides of the breast yellow or ashy grey, 

 c^. Pale portion of crown grey ; upper 



half of throat white cabanisi. ''^^ 



(Z". Pale portion of crown white ; less white 



on the throat major. J -l~/ 



J'^1 



