THE BUNTINGS. 65 



Nest. Generally placed low down in some marshy bank, 

 but we have often found it in a bush a yard or two above the 

 water, though never suspended in reeds. 



Eggs. Four to six in number. Ground-colour, stone-brown 

 or clay-colour, scribbled and blotched all over with black, with 

 occasional spots of black, the " writing " marks always very 

 distinct. Axis, 075-0-85; diam., 0-55-0-6. 



THE LITTLE BUNTING. EMBERIZA PUSILLA. 



Emberiza pusilla, Pall. Reise. Russ. Reichs., iii., p. 697 (1776) ; 

 Newt. ed. Yarr., ii., p. 34 (1876) ; Dresser, B. Eur., iv., p. 

 235, pi. 220 (1877); B. O. U. List Br. B., p. 61 (1883); 

 Seeb., Br. B., ii., p. 144 (1884) ; Sharpe, Cat. B. Brit. Mus., 

 xii., p. 487 (1888); Saunders, Man., p. 209 (1889). 



Adult Male. Above rufous-brown, broadly streaked with 

 black, the rump duller in colour ; under surface white, the sides 

 of the body streaked with blackish-brown, but without any tinge 

 of yellow below ; breast distinctly streaked ; ear-coverts and 

 throat vinous-chestnut ; bill brown, whitish on the lower man- 

 didle ; feet reddish-grey ; iris brown. Total length, 4-8 inches ; 

 culmen, 0*4; wing, 2-8; tail, 2'i ; tarsus, o'8. 



Adult Female. Like the male, but not quite so richly tinted, 

 and less distinctly striped below. 



Young. Lacks the rufous colour on the throat, which is 

 white. It may be distinguished from that of the Reed-Bunting 

 by its smaller size, chestnut crown, and especially by having the 

 wing-coverts brown with dusky centres, not uniform chestnut. 



Range in Great Britain. A very rare and occasional visitor, 

 having once been taken near Brighton. 



Range outside the British Islands. Northern Russia, from the 

 valley of the Dwina across Siberia to the Pacific ; wintering 

 in India, the Burmese countries, and China. In winter it has 

 also occurred in most of the countries of Central Europe. 



Habits. Mr. Seebohm met with this Bunting on the Pet- 

 chora river and again on the Yenesei. He says that it was 

 extremely tame, and he found several nests. It is a very late 

 visitor too in the north, arriving only in the early part of June, 



I F 



