482 



HABITS AND VOICE OF THE BUNTING. 



various gi-ass seeds, especially those of the stronger species, so that it often does good 

 service to the farmer, by preventing the increase of these very stuljhorn weeds. Tlie 

 millet is a very favourite article of food, as may be supposed from the specific name of 

 miliaris, wliich has been given to the bird by systematic zoologists, and considerable 

 injury is ofteii done to the millet crops by tlie attacks of the Bunting. 



Wlien hard pressed for food, it is capal^le of doing no small damage, as may be seen 

 from Mr. Knapp's " Journal of a Naturalist." " I \\'as this day (January 25) led to reflect 



upon the extensive injuiy that might be pro- 

 duced by the agency of a very insignificant in- 

 strument, in observing the operations of the 

 common Bunting, a bird that seems to live 

 principally, if not entirely, on seeds, and has 

 its mandibles constructed in a very peculiar 

 manner, to aid this established appointment 

 of its life. In the winter season it will 

 frequent the stacks in the farmyard, in com- 

 pany with others, to feed upon any corn that 

 may lie found scattered about ; but, little 

 inclined to associate with man, it prefers 

 those situations which are most lonely and 

 distant from the village. 



It would hardly be supposed that this 

 bird, not larger than a lark, is capable of 

 doing serious injury ; yet I this morning 

 witnessed a rick of barley standing in a dis- 

 tant field, entirely stripped of its thatching, 

 which this lUmting effected by seizing tlie 

 end of the straw, and deliljerately drawing 

 it out, to search for any grain the ear might 

 yet contain ; the base of the rick being 

 entirely surrounded by the straw, one end 

 resting against the ground, the other against 

 the mow, as it slid down from the summit ; 

 and so completely was the tliatching i)ulled 

 off, that the immediate renewal of the cover 

 became uecessfiry. The sparrow anil other 

 birds burrow into the stack, and pilfer the 

 corn, but the deliberate operation of unroofing 

 the edifice appears to be the habit of this 

 Bunting alone." 



During the autumn and winter, the Bunt- 

 ings assemble in flocks, and as they get very 

 fat about that time, the young birds are 

 thought to be great delicacies, and are killed 

 in great numbers for the table, being often 

 sold under the name of larks, from whicli, 

 however, they may be easily distingnislied, 

 by the short bill with the knob on tlie palate. In some jiarts of England these birds are 

 captured alive, and fattened with millet for tlui talile. Tlie roostiug-place of the limiting 

 is generally in tliick, low Inishos, l>ut it sometimes rests for the night in stubble fields, 

 where it is caught, togetlier Avith the lark, in the nets used for the purpose. 



The 15untiiig has no song, its voice being a harsh and rather jarring scream, which it 

 is very fond of uttering, especially when it is observed or anxious, so that it i'reiiueiilly 

 betrays the position of its home through its very desire to conceal it. The nest of tliis 

 bu-d is a tolerably made edifice, composed of grasses, roots, and hair, the latter substance 



BUNTING.— £m6crfaa miliaris. 



being used as the 1 



inni 



It contains about live euus. 



of a grey-white, tinged witli red 



