THE CIRL BUNTING. 121 



breast greyer and less streaked ; chestnut on sides of breast more 

 prominent. 



Nestling. — (Not examined.) 



Juvenile. — Whole upper -parts streaked black, feathers broadly 

 margined pale buff or brownish -buff ; under-parts pale yellowish- 

 grey with black-bro^\ai streaks, thicker on breast and sides of throat, 

 finer on flanks and smaller on chin, centre of throat, and belly ; 

 stripe over eye and sides of head yello wish -buff , spotted dark brown ; 

 tail and wing-feathers as adult ; greater coverts edged and tipped 

 buff ; median coverts tipped duller buff than adult ; lesser coverts 

 black with very narrow buff tips. 



First winter and summer. — ^Like adults and cannot be distin- 

 guished with certainty, but some females with broAvner and more 

 streaked upper-breasts and bro^^ner crowns (especially noticeable 

 in summer) may be first summer. The juvenile body -plumage and 

 \\dng-coverts, innermost secondaries and sometimes middle pair of 

 tail-feathers are moulted in Aug. -Oct., but not primary-coverts nor 

 rest of wings and tail. 



Measurements and structure. — ^ wing 76-83 mm., tail 65-73, 

 tarsus 18-19, bill from skull 10.5-12 (12 measured). $Aving 71-80. 

 Primaries : 1st minute and hidden, 3rd to 5th longest and equal, 2nd 

 and 6th 2-4 mm. shorter ; 3rd to 6th emarginated outer webs. 

 Other structure as E. citrinella. 



Soft parts. — Bill : upper mandible dark horn, lower bluish ; 

 legs and feet brownish-flesh ; iris dark brown. 



Characters and allied species.--No subspecies recognized. For 

 differences of E. citrinella and E. aureola see under those species ; 

 cannot be confused with any other British Bunting. 



Field-characters. — ^In form, and to a large extent in behaviour, 

 resembles Yellow Bunting. In appearance male easily dis- 

 tinguished by black tliroat, lores, and ear-coverts, and olive-grey 

 band on chest, but female and yomig only with difficulty by 

 brown rump — not chestnut as in Yellow Bunting. In 

 \\-inter often associates with small parties of Yellow Buntings 

 and finches. Song, always in one tone, has been likened to 

 Yellow Bunting's without final long-dra^\'n " cheese," but is 

 much more like loud rattling x^lir^-se of Lesser Whitetlu'oat's. 

 Often uttered from considerable elevation in elm or other tree, 

 but in open country from top of bush, junipers being much 

 affected. Call- and alarm -note " zit," much like Yellow Bim ting's, 

 but in a lower key. 



Breeding-habits. — Breeds in hedge-rows, gorse-bushes, brambles, 

 and bank-sides, generally above ground, but also on it. Nest. — 

 Bents, roots, much moss, and sometimes leaves in foundation ; lined 

 fine grasses and horsehair. Eggs.- — 3-5, very rarely 6, normally 4 

 in England. Ground-colour bluish or greenish in tint, and streaks 

 and hair-lines almost black ; bolder than in Yellow Bunting's eggs. 



