110 A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



From Feb. to Oct. the short, monotonous strain, hke the jangUng 

 of a bmich of keys, is uttered, often with great j)ersistence, from 

 some conspicuous perch. On leaving perch the singing bird often 

 flies with dependent legs. Alarm-note is a metallic " chip." 



Breeding-habits. — Generally breeds in moM-ing-grass or corn- 

 fields, less frequently in scrub and furze on do^\'ns at some distance 

 above groimd. Nest. — Built of bents, grasses, etc., lined finer 

 materials and few hairs. Eggs. — 3-6 in British Isles. Ground- 

 colour greyish-white to light sienna-brown, with bold, bro\Miish- 

 black, straggling lines and few spots. Some devoid of markings, 

 others have dark streaks on red-brown ground, and some show 

 bluish-tint in groimd. Average of 100 eggs, 24.3 x 17.6 mm. 

 Breeding -season. — Begins late May, sometimes not till June or 

 even July ; eggs have been taken in Aug. and Sept. Incubation. — 

 Period 14 daj^s ; chiefly by hen (Naumann). Probably in some 

 cases double-brooded. 



Food. — Chiefly seeds and com, but also buds of trees, and 

 insects (cockchafers and small beetles). 



Distribution. — British Isles. — ^Resident. Common in most coasta 

 regions throughout, but generally local inland, though sometimes 

 common where foimd. 



Migrations. — British Isles. — Breeding-birds, or at all events many 

 of them, emigrate in autumn from Great Britain, and perhaps 

 also from Ireland. Immigrants noted east coast Great Britain, 

 and flocks occur other parts in autumn. In Shetlands and Fair 

 Isle occurs on both passages. 



Distribution. — Abroad. — From south Sweden in the north tlu"ough- 

 out Europe to north Africa and west Asia. Forms from west 

 Siberia, Corsica, and Canary Islands have been separated, but are 

 all very closely allied and require confirmation. 



EMBERIZA CITRINELLA 



43. Emberiza citrinella citrinella L. — THE YELLOW 



BUNTING. 



Emberiza Citrinella Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. x, i, p. 177 (1758 — 

 " Habitat in Euro pa." Restricted typical locality : Sweden). 

 Emberiza citrinella Linnaeus, Yarrell, n, p. 43 ; Saunders, p. 209. 



Description (Plate 5). — Adult male. Winter. — Centre of crown and 

 nape bright yellow streaked dark brownish -green, similar streaks 

 coalescing and forming narrow lines on sides of croA\Ti from nostrils, 

 broadening at sides of nape ; hind-neck browTiish-green ; mantle, 

 scapulars, and back yellowdsh- to chestnut-brown, boldly streaked 

 black-brown ; rump and upper tail-coverts chestnut, with small 

 grejdsh-white tips ; ear-coverts and sides of neck yeUow, streaked 



