154 BRITISH BIRDS 



The nest is placed in crevices of rocks, and is made of dry grass, 

 roots, and moss, lined with root-fibres, hair, wool, and feathers. Five 

 or six, sometimes seven, eggs are laid, in ground-colour greyish white 

 or pale blue, spotted and blotched with reddish brown, with under- 

 rnarkings of pale brown and pale grey. 



The young are fed on the larvae of gnats. In winter the snow- 

 buntings feed on seeds of grass and weeds. 



Besides the five buntings described, five more species figure in 

 the list of British birds, and these may now be briefly noticed : 



Black-headed bunting (Emberiza melanocephala], inhabiting 

 South-eastern Europe ; a single specimen has been obtained in this 

 country. 



Ortolan bunting (Emberiza hortulana). A summer visitor to 

 Europe. Several specimens have been obtained in the British 

 Islands, mostly in the south and east of England. 



Rustic bunting (Emberiza rustica). Breeds in North-eastern 

 Europe and Northern Siberia. A rare straggler to Britain. 



Little bunting (Emberiza pusilla], from North-eastern Europe 

 and Siberia. Has been taken once in England. 



Lapland bunting (Calcariuslapponica}. A circumpolar species 

 breeding in the arctic regions. Occasionally straggles to tins 

 country. 



Starling. 



Sturnus vulgaris. 



Black with purple and green reflections, the upper feathers tipped 

 witli pale buff; under tail-coverts edged with white; beak yellow; 

 feet flesh-colour tinged with brown. Female : spotted below as 

 well as above. Youny : uniform ash-brown, unspotted. Length, 

 eight and a half inches. 



A compactly built bird with a short, square tail, strong legs and 

 feet, and a long, sharp beak, the starling does not excel in beauty 

 of figure or grace of carriage ; his lines are rather indicative of 

 strength ; he looks what he is a plodding digger in the meadows 

 and pastures, a hardy bird of rook-like habits, able to stand all 

 weathers. But he has a beautiful coat. As in the case of the large 

 corvine species he so frequently associates with when feeding, his 

 richly coloured plumage has a gloss which causes it to shine at 

 times like polished metal in the sunlight. The starling has an added 

 distinction in the spangling of white and buff on the upper parts. 



