CIRL BUNTING. 309 



the colours less brilliant, and the markings less 

 distinct on the lower parts ; the gamboge yellow 

 is less clear, and is streaked with greenish orange. 

 In the young birds the colours are also less dis- 

 tinct, and nearly resembles that of the female. 



THE CIRL BUNTING, EMBERIZA CIRLUS, Linn. 

 Emberiza cirlus of authors. Ctrl Buntirtg, 

 French, or Black-throated Yellow Hammer, or 

 Ammer, of British authors. This very distinct 

 species was added to the British Fauna by the 

 late Colonel Montague, who first discovered it 

 near King's Bridge, in winter, among flocks of 

 other small birds. During the summer following, 

 lie discovered its nidification, and his account 

 and history was our only British record for many 

 years. Since his discovery, it has been frequently 

 met with, principally on the coast, in several of 

 the southern counties of England, ranging north- 

 ward as far as Yorkshire. In Scotland we have 

 one notice of its occurrence near Edinburgh, 

 which seems to have been overlooked by modern 

 ornithologists, except Mr Yarrell. Mr Thompson 

 does not include it in his Irish Fauna. On the 

 Continent, in the middle and southern districts, 

 it seems more equally distributed ; and Mr Strick- 

 land observed it near Smyrna.* We have never 

 had the satisfaction of seeing this bird alive ; but, 

 from the descriptions given, and the accounts which 

 some of our friends have detailed to us, it appears, 

 * Yarrell, i. p. 619. 



