112 A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



breast more buff-yellow, and marked brown, belly paler yellow. 

 Moult as in male. 



Measurements and structure. <$ wing 82-93 mm., tail 66-75, 

 tarsus 16-18, bill from skull 12.5-14 (15 measured). $ wing 80-88. 

 Primaries : 1st minute and hidden, 3rd usually longest, 4th and 

 5th sometimes equal to 3rd but usually 1-2 mm. shorter, 2nd 

 usually 2-3 shorter than 3rd, 6th about 8 shorter ; 3rd to 6th 

 emarginated outer webs. Secondaries about equal 9th primary 

 but longest between 7th and 8th ; tips square, very slightly notched. 

 Tail forked. Bill : upper mandible flattish and sharply pointed, 

 with a knob in centre of palate, lower mandible thicker, with under- 

 part of distal portion sloped up at sharp angle. Minute rictal and 

 nasal bristles. Long filoplumes often observable on hind-neck. 



Soft parts. Bill : upper mandible dark bluish horn-colour, 

 lower paler ; legs and feet pale flesh-brown ; iris dark brown. 

 CHARACTERS AND ALLIED FORMS. E. c. erythrogenys (East Prussia 

 and eastwards) is paler on upper-parts. E. cirlus, male, has black 

 chin and upper-throat, dark crown and olive-brown rump, female 

 is less yellow on belly, darker streaked on breast, greyer on crown, 

 and yellow-brown on rump, juvenile is paler buff on upper-parts, 

 and buff, not chestnut, on rump. E. melanocephala both sexes and 

 all ages are unstreaked on under-parts. E. aureola, female and 

 young, have no yellow on crown, less streaked breast, whitish 

 axillaries and tips to median coverts. Other species have no 

 yellow on abdomen. 



FIELD-CHARACTERS. Like most Buntings, differs from finches in 

 slighter build and longer tail. Predominance of yellow in plumage 

 of male is characteristic, but more soberly coloured female is not 

 readily distinguished from some allies except by the chestnut rump. 

 White in lateral tail-feathers conspicuous in flight. In winter 

 assembles in small bands, often associating with Chaffinches, 

 Sparrows, and Greenfinches in farmyards and fields. Song well 

 described by words, " A little bit of bread and no cheese." A clear 

 loud single " zit " functions as call- and alarm-note. In winter, 

 assembled birds utter a liquid chirruping note when disturbed. 

 BREEDING-HABITS. Breeds in hedge bottoms, by road-sides, and 

 at foot of bushes, generally on or near ground and frequently 

 partly hidden by grass, less commonly some feet above it. 

 Nest. Built of stalks, bents, and a little moss, lined horsehair and 

 fine bents. Eggs. 3-5, rarely 6. Ground-colour varies from 

 whitish to pale purplish-white (normal) and light brownish-red, 

 pencilled with fine hair-lines of dark brown, and few spots. Some 

 without markings ; others approach eggs of Girl- and Corn- 

 Buntings, but normal eggs have much finer lines and few bold 

 markings. Average of 100 eggs, 21. 2 x 15.9 mm. Breeding-season. 

 Begins end April, but usually from May till Aug., rarely Sept. and 

 Oct. Incubation. Lasts 13-14 days, chiefly by hen. Fledging- 

 period. 13 days. Two or three broods. 



