28 OUR RESIDENT BIRDS 



Food. Insects, caterpillars, and spiders. Various 

 kinds of seeds in winter. 



Nest. April onwards. Two or three broods. 



Site. In holes in trees, preferably pollards, growing 

 near water, in holes in walls, sometimes in the outside 

 of thatched roofs. 



Materials. Dry grass and straw lined with feathers, 

 wool, and hair. In shape like the last, and untidily and 

 flimsily constructed. 



Eggs. Four to six. Much like the last but smaller. 

 Greyish white, speckled and spotted with various shades 

 of brown and dark grey. Variable. 



CORN OR COMMON BUNTING 



(Emberiza miliaria). 



Generally distributed, but decidedly local, and found 

 most abundantly in well-cultivated districts. 



Haunts. Fields, more particularly where cereals are 

 growing. 



Plumage. Upper parts yellowish brown with blackish 

 centres to the feathers. Wings darker brown margined 

 with buff. Tail lighter brown with pale edges ; under 

 parts buffish white marked with dusky streaks. Bill 

 yellowish brown. Legs flesh colour. Length 7 in. 

 Female, slightly smaller and greyer. Young, more 

 richly coloured. 



Language. Song, two or three energetic chirps 

 followed by a jumbled-up sound like the smashing of 

 glass as heard from some distance, or the crunching of 

 a bunch of keys in the palm of the hand, thus : " tees- 

 tees-tees-tis-is-is-s-s-r-r-re." Call-note, " tzit " or " tzit- 

 kaak," having a metallic sound. 



Habits. Sedentary, and fond of sitting on the top 

 of a hedge, telegraph wire, &c., uttering its curious, 

 monotonous song. Flight laboured and clumsy, with 

 dangling legs. In autumn gregarious. On the ground 

 it hops. 



