120 THE FOOLISH BUNTING. 



and the skirts of forests.* They are birds of passage, which leave in No- 

 vember and return in April; they are then met with very commonly 

 among the chaffinches. 



In the house they must be treated in the same manner as the ortolan. 



Food In their wild state they feed on the cabbage caterpillar in sum- 

 mer, and when corn is ripe^ on wheat, barley, millet, oats, and other 

 grain. 



Brkeding They place their nest in a hedge or bush on the road side, 



and build it of small straws and line it with horse-hair. The eggs are 

 greyish, speckled with chestnut. In the end of July whole famiUes are 

 met with in the fields, particularly those planted with cabbages, and that 

 have willows in the neighbourhood. 



Diseases and Mode of Taking. — These are similar to what is said under 

 ortolan. 



Attractive Qualities. — The male surpasses the ortolan in beauty, but 

 does not equal it in its song, as in this it more resembles the yellowhammer. 



These birds, however, are very easily tamed, and may be preserved five 

 or six years. 



THE FOOLISH BUNTING. 



Emberlza Cia, LiNNiEOs ; Le Bruant Fou, Buffon ; Der Zipamtner, Bechstbin. 



This bird is rather smaller than the yellowhammer, being 

 only six inches long, of which the tail measures two and a 

 half ; the beak, five lines in length, is very sharp, blackish 

 above, and greyish below ; the iris is dusky ; the legs, nine 

 lines in height, are of a brownish flesh-colour. The head is 

 grey, spotted with red, •v\ath small black streaks on the top, 

 and an indistinct black line on the sides ; the back is reddish 

 brown, speckled with black, the rump light red brown; the 

 throat pale ash-colour. 



The female differs very little from the male : the head is grey 

 with a reddish tint and black spots ; she has also all the streaks 

 that the male has, but less marked ; the ash-coloured throat is 

 streaked with black and has a reddish tint ; in short, the whole 

 of the under part of the body is lighter. 



Habitation. — Vv'iien wild, this species, which loves solitude, and prefers 

 mountainous districts, inhabits the south of Fiance, Italy, and the south of 

 Austria. In some winters they quit these countries and proceed even to 

 the middle of Germany, where they are found in March and April in 

 elevated situations. 



In tjie house they are either kept in a cage or left to range a roonj, and 



• Those occasionally caught in the 3oath of England may be purchased in 

 London at about 7*. — Translator. 



