BRITISH BIRDS' NESTS. 17 



Materials. Dried grass and moss, with a lining 

 of finer grass, hair, and the feathery tops of 

 reeds. 



Eggs. Four to seven, generally five. Purplish- 

 grey or pale olive to pale purple-brown in ground- 

 colour, spotted and streaked with rich dark purple- 

 brown, generally distributed over the egg. It is 

 the smallest of the Buntings' eggs found in this 

 country, and the veins are shorter and thicker 

 than those of the Yellow Bunting. Size about 

 77 by -57 in. (See Plate II.) 



Time. March, April, May, June, and July. 



Remarks. Resident, and partially migratory. 

 Notes : song, te, te, tu y te, diversified by an occa- 

 sional discordant ruytsh ; alarm note, a sharp 

 twitter. Local and other names : Reed Sparrow, 

 Passerine Bunting, Black Bonnet, Chink, Water 

 Sparrow, Black-headed Bunting (a name which, 

 properly speaking, belongs to a different species 

 altogether), Mountain Sparrow. Sits closely. The 

 male bird does his share in the work of incuba- 

 tion and feeding of the chicks. 



MALE REED BUNTING FEEDING YOUNG. 



