122 BRITISH BIRDS. WITH THEIR NESTS AND EGGS. 



stone tints varying between pale brownish lavender and olivaceous buff; blotched, 

 spotted, speckled, and often more or less boldly streaked with purplish black, the 

 underlying spots appearing a lavender grey : they have the opaque appearance 

 characteristic of eggs of the Chaffinch, but more nearly resemble one variety of 

 those of the Tree Pipit. 



The nesting-season usually commences late in April or early in May, though 

 Lord Lilford mentions having taken a full nest as early as March 23rd, and as 

 from two to three broods are reared, nidification must continue until at least the 

 end of July, if not to the middle of August. It has been stated that the male 

 takes part in incubating the eggs, but I have not had sufficient experience of 

 this species to be able to dogmatise on the point. As a rule it is engaged in 

 singing its poor song, whilst the hen sits near by ; and when the nest is dis- 

 covered both birds try to divert the attention of the intruder by tumbling about, 

 as if wounded, upon the earth. The song consists of a few monotonous notes 

 cheo, cheo, cheo, chee chee chee chee, and terminates with a harsh zshwee ; the call-note 

 is said to be tschee, and Mr. Witchell states that he has heard another note, 

 resembling the battle-cry of the Chaffinch. 



The food consists chiefly of insects, their larvae, and small mollusca in summer, 

 but of seeds in winter ; in confinement, however, very little insect food is necessary 

 to keep this bird in health. In October, 1888, I purchased my first male Reed 

 Bunting from a catcher. I turned it into my largest covered aviary, where it 

 lived a perfectly inoffensive, though stupid and absolutely silent life until 1891 ; 

 the winter following the death of this bird my man caught a second (in company with 

 Skylarks) which also lived about three years, dying before its spring change of 

 plumage, whilst a third example was given to me and died more quickly. Not 

 one of these three birds ever uttered the slightest sound, and although fairly tame 

 they all showed a skulking disposition, rarely appearing in the open part of the 

 aviary excepting to feed, and showing none of that somewhat sprightly activity 

 which characterizes this species in its wild state. As an aviary bird, I can therefore 

 only recommend this Bunting on account of its quiet beauty of plumage and 

 absolute innocence. 



