BRITISH BIRDS' NESTS. 9 



under a hedge, in a low bush, amongst growing 

 corn, brambles, clover, and peas ; in grass-fields, 

 pastures, clover-fields, and similar places locally 

 distributed throughout the United Kingdom. 



Materials. Straw and coarse hay or grass-stems 

 outside, lined . with fibrous roots, fine grass, and 

 sometimes horsehair. 



Eggs. Four to six. The ground colour varies 

 from dull purplish- white to pale buff, blotched, 

 spotted, and streaked with light to dark purplish- 

 brown, and underlying markings of grey. They 

 are variable in size, but run larger than those 

 of any other Bunting breeding with us. Size about 

 96 by -71 in. 



Time. May and June. Individual nests may 

 be, however, found as early as the end of April 

 and as late as the beginning of July. 



Remarks. Eesident, but numbers swollen during 

 winter months by Continental arrivals. Notes, 

 chuck or chit. Local and other names : Common 

 Bunting, Bunting Lark, Ebb. Sits close. 



BUNTING, REED. Also KEED SPARROW. 



Description of Parent Birds. Length about six 

 inches. Bill short, conical, and dusky brown on 

 the upper mandible, lighter on the lower. Irides 

 hazel. Head velvety black, bounded by a white 

 collar, which commences near the gape and, de- 

 scending the sides of the neck as far as the breast, 

 passes round the back thereof. Back and wings 

 rich brownish-black, the feathers being margined 

 broadly with reddish-brown and tawny-grey; wing- 

 quills dusky, narrowly bordered with tawny-red. 

 Rump and upper tail-coverts black, tinged with 



