154 EMBERIZA HORTULANA. 



EmberJza hortulana. 



Emberiza hortulana, Linn. S. N. I. p. 309 (1766); Sharpe, Cat. B. M. 

 xii. p. 530 (1888) ; Gigl. Ann. Mus. Genev. 1888, p. 34 ; Salvad. t. c. 

 p. 268 Shoa; Hartert, Kat. Vog. Mus. Senck. p. 51 (1891) Semien; 

 Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 242 (1896) ; Grant, Ibis, 1900, p. 136, Balti; 

 id. and Eeid, 1901, p. 626, S. Abyssinia. 



Adult male. Head, neck and crop uniform pale ashy olive, with the 

 fore part of the sides of the head, chin, middle throat and a band beneath 

 the ear-coverts pale yellow ; back pale rufous-tinted-brown, the mantle only 

 with broad blackish shaft-stripes. Wings brown, slightly greyer on the 

 least and median coverts ; ends of the greater coverts and the inner 

 secondaries with broad tawny-buff edges ; remainder of the quills and the 

 primary-coverts with very narrow buff margins ; wing-lining brown, with 

 narrow whitish inner edges to the quills and the coverts mostly white, par- 

 tially tinted with yellow. Tail brown with tawny buff edges much broader 

 on the centre feathers ; the two outer pairs of feathers with rather more 

 than the terminal third of their inner webs white. Chest, abdomen and 

 under tail-coverts rufous-buff, with the thighs yellowish. Iris brown; bill 

 and legs flesh colour. Total length 6'2 inches, culmen 045, wing 3-6, 

 tail 2-9, tarsus 0-75. <? , 23. 1. 99. Balti (Lord Lovat). 



Female. Differs only in having the crown and crop streaked. 



The Ortolan ranges over the greater part of Europe 

 eastwards into Afghanistan. In winter it visits Abyssinia. 



I have examined specimens shot by Mr. A. E. Pease in 

 Southern Abyssinia, at the Akaki river, Mount Sequala and 

 Roquecha in December and February. Lord Lovat writes : 

 " The Ortolan inhabits the high plateau of Central Abyssinia, 

 where a few trees are to be found." In Shoa Dr. Ragazzi 

 found them frequently in February, 1885, in the mornings 

 and evenings, near water. According to Heuglin, they are 

 abundant in Abyssinia from September till April, when they 

 migrate northward down the Nile ; but possibly a few pairs 

 are left behind to breed. They frequent mostly the highland 

 pasture country up to 10,000 feet, where they are to be met 

 with singly or in pairs on the scattered bushes ; he never 

 observed them to congregate in flocks. 



