EMBERI/A PUSILLA 237 



Tunisia, and I am not aware that it either nests or winters anywhere 

 in the Eegency. 



According to Loche, the species is not widely distributed in 

 Algeria, but in Marocco, fide Favier, it is, next to the Common 

 Bunting, the most abundant species of the genus near Tangier, and 

 some individuals remain to breed. 



The Ortolan is of sociable habits, and when on passage is 

 generally to be found in small parties, frequenting hill-sides and the 

 outskirts of woods and gardens. Its food consists of seeds and 

 insects, and in autumn to a great extent of grain. It is considered 

 by some authorities to have a soft and pleasing song, and a good many 

 are snared by the Tunisian bird-catchers to be kept as cage-birds. 

 In Tunis they are apparently only kept in captivity for their song, 

 and not, as in Italy and France, to be fattened up for the table. As 

 the market-supply could not possibly satisfy the demand for these 

 delicate birds in most Continental towns, many other species of 

 Warblers are made to do duty for the Ortolan as an article of food. 



EMBERIZA PUSILLA, Pallas. 

 LITTLE BUNTING. 



Emberlza pusilla, Pall. Beis. Buss. Beichs. iii, p. 697 (1776) ; Sharpe, 

 Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. xii, p. 487 ; Loche, Expl. Sci. Alg. Ois. i, p. 174 

 (1867); Koenig, J.f. 0. 1892, p. 299; id. J.J. 0. 1893, p. 53. 



Emberiza lesbia, Malherbe, Cat. Bais. d'Ois. Alg. p. 14, (1846). 



Description. — Adult male, from Asia, 



Crown and sides of head rufous, a broad black superciliary streak 

 extending behind the eye ; back and rump brown, striped with black ; tail 

 dark brown, the outer feathers obliquely tipped with white ; quills dark 

 brown margined with dull white ; chin and throat pale chestnut ; rest 

 of underparts dull white, the breast and flanks streaked with black. 



Iris dark brown ; bill brown ; feet pale brown. 



Total length .5 inches, wing 2-75, culmen -35, tarsus -70. 



Adult female duller in plumage than the male. 



Malherbe and Loche have both recorded this Bunting as occurring 

 in Algeria, the former having obtained a specimen of it from the 

 neighbourhood of Bone, within a short distance of the Tunisian 



