THE COMMON BUNTING 
EMBERIZA MILIARIA 
Loca names in surrounding counties: “ Bunting Lark ” 
(Essex). 
Status in British Avirauna : A widely but somewhat 
locally distributed resident, rarer in the north. 
RapiAL DisTRiBUTION WITHIN FIFTEEN MILES OF ST. 
Paut’s: The Common Bunting by no means deserves its 
name anywhere within the Metropolitan area. It must 
be classed as one of our most local London birds, and one 
that in a good many districts has become rarer of late 
years, doubtless owing to the fact that so much open 
ground has been built on, enclosed, or devoted to public 
uses. I can record this species from the Wembley and 
Horsenden districts, from» Wimbledon and Richmond, 
from Croydon, Epsom, the Crays, and Epping, in all of 
which it possibly nests sparingly. It has been recorded as 
a nesting species from Mitcham and Surbiton. ‘To the 
inner portions of our area the Common Bunting must bea 
very irregular visitor. I have no records from the urban 
parks, but these localities, of course, present few if any 
attractions to such an open-country bird. ‘This Bunting 
becomes much commoner beyond our western limits in 
Bucks and Berks, from which counties flocks are recorded, 
especially in autumn. 
We have here another species upon whose habits we 
need not dwell at any great length. ‘The Common or 
Corn Bunting cannot easily be overlooked if it is present 
in any locality, because the song of the male is very charac- 
teristic and persistent, and the birds are fond of ex- 
hibiting themselves on the tops of tall weeds, bushes, and 
on telegraph wires. ‘Thesong is a poor one. One or two 
long-drawn notes seem to be full of promise, but these 
invariably end in a hurried splutter, and allisover. ‘This 
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