106 



collectors average 20.5 X 15.4 mm. in size, and are bluish white, sparingly marked 

 with black spots and small blotches and a few pale underlying spots. (Coll. 

 Dresser and Newton). Mr. F. C. Selous has a clutch of eggs taken in Asia Minor 

 at a height of 3000 ft. from a nest on the ground, which may belong to this bird. 

 Three eggs average 20.53X16.23 mm., and are dull French white with a few 

 very dark spots, scrawls and hair lines of sepia brown, and pale underlying violet 

 grey blotches. They are less glossy than eggs of E. cirlus or caesia.] 



50. Ortolan, Einberiza liortulana L. 



Plate 13, fig. 16 (Switzerland), 17—20 (S. Sweden). 



Eggs: Thienemann, Fortpfl., Tab. XXXII, fig. 7, a — d. Hewitson, 

 I. Ed. I, pi. CXXVI; II. Ed. I, pi. XL, fig. 2; III. Ed. I, pi. XL VIII, fig. 1. 

 Baedeker, Tab. 3, fig. 5. Taczanowsld, Tab. LXV, fig. 2; LXVI, fig. 2. 

 Seebohm, Br. Birds, pi. 15; id. Col. Fig., pi. 57. 



Foreign Names: Bohemia: Strnad zahradu. Denmark: Hortulan- 

 verling. Finland: Metsdsirlilm, Peltopeippo. France: Briiant ortolan. 

 Germany: Gartenammer, Ortolan. Helgoland: Orteloan. Holland: Ortolaan, 

 Vremdeling. Hungary: Kerti sdrmdny. Italy: Ortolano. Norway: Hortulan. 

 Poland: Poswierka ogrodniczek. Russia: Sadovaja oivsjanka. Sweden: 

 Ortolansparf, Ortolan. Spain: Hortoldno. 



Emheriza liortulana L. Newton, ed. Yarrell, II, p. 57; Dresser, Birds 

 of Europe, IV, p. 185; id. Man. Pal. Birds, p. 356; Saunders, Man., p. 213; 

 Hartert, Vog. Pal. Fauna, p. 180. 



Breeding Range: Europe, locally, from 68° 40' N. lat. in Sweden 

 and 57° N. in the Urals southward, but not the British Isles. [Also in 

 Asia from Smyrna and Syria to Afghanistan and W. Mongolia; N. W. Africa.] 

 Con- In view of its wide distribution on the continent it is remarkable 



that the Ortolan is only a rare straggler to the British Isles. In Spain 

 and Portugal it is not uncommon in the mountainous districts, and in 

 Andalucia Chapman found it breeding in the islets of the marisma. In 

 France it is commonest in the south, but is absent from the islands of 

 the western Mediterranean, or only winters there; and is equally scarce 

 in the south of Italy, though not uncommon further north. It breeds 

 here and there in Switzerland, especially in the south west, and is not 

 uncommon in some parts of Holland (Gelderland and N. Brabant). In the 

 great plain of N. Germany it is not uncommon, but local (though formerly 

 almost unknown), but becomes scarcer in the south. It is local and 

 not plentiful in Austro-Hungary, but is common and widely distributed in 

 Turkey, and is met with on the higher mountains of Greece to a height 

 of over 7000 ft., and also in Crete. In S. Russia and the Crimea it is 

 common, and occurs also in the Caucasus; while northward its limits extend 

 from 68° N. lat. in Finland to only 57° N. in the Urals; and in Scandinavia 



tinental 

 Europe. 



