514 



EMBERIZID^E. 



the carpal joint to the end of the wing, three inches : the 

 first four quill -feathers nearly equal in length, but the se- 

 cond rather the longest ; the fifth shorter than the first. 



The female is rather smaller than the male: the head 

 and ear- coverts reddish brown, varied with darker brown, 

 over and behind the ear-coverts, and from thence passing 

 forwards to the base of the under mandible, a pale yel- 

 lowish brown streak ; both sets of wing-coverts and the 

 tertials broadly edged with rufous ; on the chin upon each 

 side a descending streak of dark brown ; under surface of 

 the body more clouded with brown than in the males ; legs 

 and toes pale brown. 



Young birds resemble the female. Young males obtain 

 a black head in the spring following their first winter. 



The vignette below represents the breast-bones of the 

 Common Bunting and the Black -headed Bunting. 



