THE CIRL BUNTING. 



EMBERIZA C1RLUS. 



Crown dark olive, streaked with black ; gorget and band above and below the 

 eye bright yellow ; throat, neck, and band across the eye, black ; breast 

 olive-grey, bounded towards the sides by chestnut ; abdomen dull yellow ; 

 back brownish red, with dusky spots. Female the distinct patches of black 

 and yellow wanting ; the dusky spots on the back larger. Eggs greyish, 

 marked with ash-coloured and black blotches and lines. 



WITH the exception of its black chin and throat, this bird 

 closely resembles the Yellow Hammer. Its habits, too, are 

 much the same, so that little can be said of it which does 

 not equally apply to its congener. It appears, however, to 

 be much less patient of co^d, and is consequently mostly 

 confined to the southern counties of England, especially 

 Devon and Cornwall. It is frequent also in some parts of 

 Surrey and Wiltshire. In the south of Europe, in the 

 islands of the Mediterranean, and in Asia Minor, it is said 

 to replace the Yellow Hammer, which is far less common. 

 It is in the habit of perching higher than the Yellow 

 Hammer, and is said to be partial to elm-trees. 

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