170 RURAL BIRD LIFE. 



with a low sweeping flight over the water returning to 

 their old haunt. 



Though in winter the Reed Bunting quits his marshy 

 haunts and is seen in company with other grain-eating 

 birds, still when the vernal season once more arrives he 

 leaves the ricks and the pastures and returns to the 

 waterside in company with his mate, for the purpose of 

 continuing his species. The nest is snugly placed in a 

 reed tuft or under a friendly bush on the margin of the 

 waters. When in the reeds, however, it is never found 

 suspended to them, like the Reed Warbler's abode, but 

 always right down in the centre of the tuft. It is made 

 of coarse grass, reeds, and sedges, and lined with fibrous 

 rootlets and a few horsehairs. The eggs are four or 

 five in number, dull white, streaked, spotted, and 

 speckled with deep purplish-brown : some eggs are more 

 clouded and less streaked than others, while many are 

 almost plain. When you wander near the nest the ever 

 watchful male bird will ofttimes endeavour to draw your 

 attention to himself by fluttering apparently helpless 

 before you ; but the female bird remains quiet and 

 motionless on her charge, and only quits it when her 

 treasure lies at your feet. 



In the spring and summer months the Reed Bunting's 

 food consists of insects and larvae, like that of the other 

 members of the Bunting family ; but when the seeds of the 

 rushes are ripe, we see them clinging to the stems, almos.. 

 bent double by their weight, and with tail jerking quickly 

 extract the seeds. Grass seeds and the seeds of weeds 

 are also eaten, and in the winter months we sometimes 

 see them on the common in company with Linnets, on 

 the clover fields with the Larks, or even in the farmyards 

 with Sparrows, and on the highway or pasture with the 

 Chaffinch and Yellow Bunting. 



