316 THE BUNTINGS. 



The Common Bunting (Korn-Sparf, or Grain-Sparrow, 

 Sw. ; E. miliaria, Linn.) was very rare with us. During 

 a long residence on the neighbouring coast, indeed, M. von 

 Wright has only met with a single specimen. This goes far 

 to corroborate Nilsson's statement as to this bird being 

 " confined to the south of Sweden, where it remains all the 

 year round." 



" During the pairing season," the Professor tells us, " the 

 common bunting has this peculiarity, that it flies in a totally 

 different manner to what it does at other times. Its legs 

 hang down, it elevates its wings and moves them rapidly, 

 and thus gradually slapar sig that is, drags itself as it 

 were, from one elevation to another." 



The Professor mentions another peculiarity of this bird. 

 " That Slattland, or open line of country," he says, " where 

 it once appears, it never leaves. It is totally devoid of the 

 instinct of the house-sparrow, which in the wilderness finds 

 out the cottage of the squatter, and cultivated patches. It 

 never flies over a forest. It is only this circumstance that 

 can explain the remarkable fact of its being found in incal- 

 culable numbers in the plains of Scania, where it remains all 

 the year round ; whereas it never shows itself in the fruitful 

 districts of East- or Westgothland, or in those of Hede- 

 marken in Norway." 



The Reed-Bunting (Saf-Sparf, or Sedge-Sparrow, Sw. ; 

 E. Schceniclus, Linn.) was pretty common with us in the 

 summer time ; as it also is over the whole of Scandinavia. 

 M. Malm met with it everywhere in Lapland up to the 

 shores of the Icy Sea, wherever the banks of the mountain- 

 streams are clad with willow and birch bushes. According 



