178 BIRDS. 



The Girl Bunting, distinguished by the yellow collar, 

 black throat, and yellow lines round the eye, breeds south 

 Girl of the Thames, but is a straggler only to Scot- 



Bunting. j an( j an( j "Wales, and is unknown in Ireland. 

 It feeds on grain. The nest is not unlike that of the last, 

 but is placed a trifle higher. Eggs, 4 or 5, f inch ; greyish, 

 with very dark markings. 



Ortolan. An irregular visitor on migration to the south 

 of England, twice recorded from Scotland, and once from 

 Ireland. 



Rustic Bunting. A rare straggler from Northern 

 Europe, which has been recorded only three times. 



Little Bunting. A rare straggler from Northern 

 Europe, recorded once. 



A common resident, breeding everywhere in the British 

 Islands except in the Shetlands, the Reed-bunting is dis- 

 tinguished by its black head and throat and 

 tainting. wn i te breast and collar. It is also known as 

 the "reed -sparrow"; while in some parts it 

 goes by the name of " Black-headed bunting," which is to 

 be regretted on account of the confusion risked with the 

 straggler properly so called. It feeds on aquatic larvae 

 and molluscs ; in winter, on seeds. The nest, placed low 

 down in the reeds, is of dry reeds lined with hair and 

 down. Eggs, 4 or 5, %i inch; grey, with deep brown 

 spots. Two or more broods are reared. 



Lapland Bunting. An irregular wanderer from the 

 Arctic regions to the south of England. It has occurred 

 twice in Scotland and once in Ireland. 



The Snow-bunting must be regarded as a winter visitor 



to the northern portions of the British Islands, although 



it has long been known to breed in the Shet- 



f buntin lands and on the mainland in Sutherland and 



Banffshire. Large flocks visited Highgate in 



February 1895. ^ * s a handsome black-and-white bird 



