EMBERIZA. FLAVIVENTRIS. 145 



its occurrence in Cape Colony, where the type was obtained, 

 Dr. Sharpe writes : " Mr. W. Atmore procured this pretty 

 species at Kykoe and Meiring's Poort, where he met with it 

 ' in small flocks of four or five individuals,' probably family 

 parties. Mr. Rickard tells us that he only once fell iu with 

 it at East London, and Captain Trevelyan records it as scarce 

 near Kingwilliamstown. Mr. T. C. Atmore obtained it near 

 Grahamstown and Eland's Post." According to Stark, these 

 Buntings *' are usually met with during autumn and winter 

 in small flocks of ten or a dozen. They are extremely tame 

 and fearless in their habits, like all the South African Buntings 

 I have met with ; feed much on the ground in open bush 

 country, but are sometimes found in thickly wooded localities, 

 and if distui'bed only fly for a few yards before settling again 

 on the ground. Only occasionally do they perch on low bushes 

 or trees, much oftener on stones or rocks. They feed largely 

 upon insects, especially upon small beetles, less frequently 

 upon seeds. In spring the brilliant cocks sing their simple 

 Bunting-like notes from the summit of low bushes or stones, 

 a monotonous and oft-repeated ' zizi-zizi-zee,' with tlie stress 

 on the last syllable. About the month of October the female 

 proceeds to build her nest of dry grass-stalks, lined with finer 

 grass and hair, in a low bush at the foot of a rock, or among 

 the roots of herbage on a ledge, and towards the beginning of 

 November lays foar or five eggs. These are smaller than 

 those of the Cape Bunting (Fringillaria ca2:)ensis) and differ 

 completely in colour. They are white, thickly marked all over 

 with scrawls and hair-like zig-zag lines of very dark purplish 

 brown or black. They measure 075 X 0-58." 



From G-rahamstown in Cape Colony Mr. R. H. Ivy writes : 

 " I have never found the nest of this bird in a low bush or on 

 the ground, though I have seen many hundreds of them. 

 Those I have seen have usually been placed on the outer 



[May, 1902. 10 



