240 BIRDS OF TUNISIA 



EMBERIZA SCHOENICLUS, Linnaeus. 

 EEED-BUNTING. 



Emberiza schoeniclus, Linn. Syst. Nat. i, p. 311 (1766); Sharpe, Cat. 



Birds Brit. Mtis. xii, p. 480 ; Koenig, J. f. 0. 1888, p. 232. 

 Schoenicola arundinacea, Loche, Expl. Sci. Alg. Ois. i, p. 176 (1867) ; 



Koenig, J. f. 0. 1893, p. 53. 



Description. — Adult male, spring, from Algeria. 



Crown and nape black ; superciliary stripes white, a white stripe extend- 

 ing from the base of the bill backwards and merging into the white collar ; 

 cheeks black ; throat and fore-neck black, encircled with white ; back and 

 scapulars black, the feathers margined with bright rufous ; wingcoverts 

 bright rufous ; quills brown, margined with whitish ; rump ash-colour, 

 slightly striped with blackish ; tail black, the two outer pairs of feathers 

 mostly white ; underparts white, washed with grey, and striped on the 

 flanks with black and rufous. 



Iris dark brown ; bill blackish ; feet light brown. 



Total length 6 inches, wing 3-25, eulmen -40, tarsus -80. 



Adult female duller than the male, with the crown and nape reddish- 

 brown, streaked with a darker shade ; throat dull brownish, with scarcely 

 any collar. 



In winter the plumage is duller, the black parts, especially in the male, 

 being less pure and having a mixture of brown. 



The Reed-Buating, although perhaps only a winter migrant, 

 probably occurs in most of the Tunisian marshes and in similar wet 

 localities during the colder months. I have met with the species 

 in February in some marshes to the east of Tebessa, where it appeared 

 to be fairly numerous, frequenting the reed-beds and cane-brakes, 

 which were abundant there. 



Loche includes this Bunting in his list of Algerian birds, saying 

 that it is common in all the marshy parts of Algeria and in the 

 vicinity of the lakes (Expl. Sci. Alg. Ois. i, p. 176.) 



In its habits this Bunting is active and a great climber, wending 

 its way in and out among the thick tangles of the aquatic plants it 

 frequents with the greatest facility. It is not particularly shy and 

 may easily be approached. Its food is no doubt composed chiefly of 

 insects, but the seeds of various plants are also eaten by it. The 

 notes of this species are rather loud, and its song during the 

 breeding season is fairly pleasing. 



