112 A PRACTICAL HAJfDBOOK OF BRmSH BIRDS. 



breast more buff -yellow, and marked brown, belly paler yellow. 

 Moult as in male. 



Measurements and structure. — ^ wing 82-93 mm., tail 66-75, 

 tarsus 16-18, bill from skull 12.5-14 (15 measured). $ Aving 80-88. 

 Primaries : 1st minute and hidden, 3rd usually longest, 4th and 

 5th sometimes equal to 3rd but usually 1-2 mm. shorter, 2nd 

 usually 2-3 shorter than 3rd, 6th about 8 shorter ; 3rd to 6th 

 emarginated outer webs. Secondaries about equal 9th primary 

 but longest betA^een 7th and 8th ; tips square, very slightly notched. 

 Tail forked. Bill : upper mandible flattish and sharply pointed, 

 with a knob in centre of palate, lo^er mandible thicker, with under- 

 part of distal portion sloped up at sharp angle. Minute rictal and 

 nasal bristles. Long filoplumes often observable on hind-neck. 



Soft parts. — Bill : upper mandible dark bluish horn-colour, 

 lower paler ; legs and feet pale flesh-brown ; iris dark brown. 



Characters aj^td allied forms, — E. c. erythrogenys (East Prussia 

 and eastwards) is paler on upper -parts. E. cirlus, male, has black 

 chin and upper-throat, dark croAATi and oUve-brown rump, female 

 is less yellow on belly, darker streaked on breast, greyer on crown, 

 and yellow-bro\\ n on rump, juvenile is paler buff on upper-parts, 

 and buff, not chestnut, on rump, E. melanocephala both sexes and 

 all ages are unstreaked on under-parts, E. aureola, female and 

 j^oung, have no yellow on crown, less streaked breast, whitish 

 axillaries and tips to median coverts. Other species have no 

 yellow on abdomen. 



Field -characters. — Like most Bimtings, differs from finches in 

 slighter build and longer tail. Predominance of yello\\- in plumage 

 of male is characteristic, but more soberly coloured female is not 

 readily distinguished from some allies except by the chestnut rump. 

 White in lateral tail-feathers conspicuous in flight. In winter 

 assembles in small bands, often associating with Chaffinches, 

 Sparro\\s, and Greenfinches in farmyards and fields. Song well 

 described by words, " A little bit of bread and no cheese." A clear 

 loud single " zit " functions as call- and alarm -note. Li winter, 

 assembled birds utter a liquid chirruping note when disturbed. 



Breeding-habits. — Breeds in hedge bottoms, by road-sides, and 

 at foot of bushes, generally on or near groimd and frequenth* 

 partly hidden by grass, less commonly some feet above it. 

 Nest. — Built of stalks, bents, and a little moss, lined horsehair and 

 fine bents. Eggs. — 3-5, rarely 6. Ground-colour varies from 

 whitish to pale purjDlish-white (normal) and light brownish-red, 

 pencilled A^ith fine hair-lines of dark broMH, and few spots. Some 

 without markings ; others approach eggs of Cirl- and Com- 

 Buntings, but normal eggs have much fmer lines and few bold 

 markings. Average of 100 eggs, 21.2 x 15.9 mm. Breeding-season. — 

 Begins end April, but usually from May till Aug., rarely Sept. and 

 Oct. Incubation. — Lasts 13-14 days, chiefly by hen. Fledging - 

 period. — 13 days. Two or three broods. 



