THE COMMON BUNTING 
is repeated over and over again with irritating monotony 
as the bird sits on some exposed spot, or even whilst he is 
fluttering lazily with legs hanging down from one perch 
to another. The call-note is long-drawn and _ harsh. 
The food of this species consists chiefly of grain and seeds 
in winter, but in summer large quantities of insects and 
larve are sought. Like most of its kind it is social and 
gregarious during the non-breeding season, and then 1s 
often seen on stubbles and in the vicinity of stacks and 
farm-buildings. ‘The Corn Bunting breeds in May and 
June, making a slovenly nest upon the ground, usually 
amongst grass and growing crops. It is formed of dry 
grass, moss, roots, twitch, and dead leaves, lined with 
similar but finer material and horsehair. ‘The five or six 
eggs are white, tinged with grey, buff, or purple, spotted, 
blotched, and streaked in profusion with various shades 
of brown and violet-grey. ‘The scribbled lines and 
scratches on the eggs often lend them a very handsome 
appearance. 
The adult Common Bunting has the upper parts brown, 
marked with darker brown ; the wing-coverts and inner 
secondaries have pale brown margins; the wings and tail 
are dark brown, with similar pale margins ; the under parts 
are dirty white, with triangular spots of dark brown on 
the sides of the neck and the breast, and with streaks of 
the same on the flanks. Bill dark brown, paler below ; 
tarsi and toes pale brown; irides brown. Length 74 
inches. ‘The nestling is more rufous in general colour, 
and is more profusely spotted on the under surface. 
139 
