176 THE BIRDS OF NORTHAMPTONSHIRE 



77. CIRL-BUNTING. 



- Ernleriza cirlus. 



This bird, though resident and by no means un- 

 common in many localities in some of our southern 

 counties, is comparatively rare north of the Thames ; 

 and the only occurrence of the species in Northamp- 

 tonshire, with which I was acquainted at the time of 

 the original publication of this article, happened on 

 June 29, 1866, on the afternoon of which day, as I 

 was watching my Emus and other birds in the court- 

 yard at Lilford, a fine male Cirl-Bunting flew down 

 from a high elm tree, settled on the ground within a 

 few yards of where I stood, and began feeding on the 

 grain which had been scattered for the Emus, and at 

 which several Sparrows and Chaffinches were already 

 busy. I had this bird in full view for some minutes, 

 as he hopped about and regaled himself, till he was 

 attacked by a Sparrow, and flew up to the tree from 

 whence he had come. I listened and watched for 

 him on that and for several succeeding days, but 

 neither heard nor saw him again. Since that time, 

 however, a female of this species was taken by a 

 bird-catcher on Tichmarsh, on December 18th, 1884, 

 and brought to Lilford alive, but only survived 

 capture for a few days. Mr. W. Edwards, who has a 

 fair acquaintance with British birds, assured me that 

 he clearly identified a male Cirl-Bunting near 

 Achurch on May 27 and 28, 1889. In England 

 I have met with the Cirl-Bunting pretty frequently 

 in both North and South Devon, in Hampshire, the 

 Isle of Wight, and once in Berkshire. Yarrell states 

 that it is known to have bred in our bordering counties 



