THE BUNTINGS 



1587 



relative, quarreling and snapping at it when none of its own species are near with 

 whom it can fall out, and it is equally quarrelsome, and at times as restless as that 

 bird. These buntings eat both insects and seeds. Although Mr. Seebohm considers 

 that the song of the cirl bunting bears some resemblance to that of the lesser redpoll 

 and lesser whitethroat, it still more closely resembles that of the yellow bunting, but 

 is never ended with the long-drawn note which marks the song of the latter. The 

 cirl bunting breeds early, nesting in positions similar to those adopted by the yellow 

 bunting, and constructing its nest on a bank or among briers and brambles, usually 

 at no great distance from the ground. The nest is built of dry roots and grasses, 



CIUL BUNTING AND MEADOW BUNTING. 



(Five-eighths natural size.) 



lined with fine roots and a little hair. The eggs are bluish white, in ground color 

 streaked and blotched with very dark brown; two clutches being usually laid in a 

 season. The song of the male commences early in the year, and is usually delivered 

 from the lower branches of an elm or the top of some hedgerow tree, but occasionally 

 from a bare telegraph wire. It is continued throughout August and September. 

 In hard weather cirl buntings associate with other birds, such as larks, in the open 

 fields. In confinement the cirl bunting is a shy species, very difficult to tame; al- 

 though Montagu reared a young one from the nest, which was sufficiently tame to 

 take insects from the hand, showing a great partiality to such a repast, and, when 



