BLACK-HEADED BUNTING. 49 



Lark in a state of nature is one of the sweetest, in some respects, 

 with which I am acquainted.^ 25, plate III. 



89. SHORT-TOED LA xK (Alauda brwhydartyla). 

 A bird much resembling the Wood Lark in appearance, but d 

 very casual occurrence. 



II. EMBEEIZIDJE. 



90. LAPLAND BUNTING (Plectrophanes Lapponica). 

 Has been met with in Britain, but on a very few occasions. 



91. SNOW BUNTING (Plectrophanes nivalis). 



Tawny Bunting, Mountain Bunting, Snow-flake or fleck. Only 

 a winter visitor in this country, though often coming in not very 

 scanty numbers. I have frequently seen them on our North 

 Yorkshire moors, and have heard of them as seen in flocks of 

 large dimensions. One informant told me he had seen as many 

 as two hundred together. It breeds in countries very far to the 

 North, and, like other indigenes of the North, is subject to con- 

 siderable variations in colour according to season. So much so, 

 that the bird which used to be called Tawny Bunting in its 

 summer plumage, was re-christened by the name of Snow Bunting, 

 to suit its winter dress, while the young bird was called by the 

 name of Mountain Bunting. 



92. COMMON BUNTING (Emberiza miliaria). 



Bunting, Corn Bunting, Ebb. The name of this bird shows 

 that it is not by any means rare in perhaps most of our country 

 districts. It often utters its not very musical cry seated on a 

 tall spray in a hedge, and sometimes while flying along. The 

 nesf is always made very near the ground, if not actually on it, 

 usually among stunted bushes or coarse herbage. It is made of 

 roots, bents or coarser materials yet, and lined with hair. The 

 Bunting lays four or five eggs, of a kind of stained-white ground, 

 suggesting the idea that a vinous-red stain has been imperfectly 

 washed off, and blotched and streaked and speckled, in the 

 characteristic Bunting style, with shades of purplish brown, 

 some of them rather dark Though called Corn Bunting, it may 

 be found where corn-tields are not abundant. I once met with a 

 nest at the foot of St. Abb's Head. Fig. 1, plate IV. 



93. BLACK-HEADED BUNTING (Emberiza schaniclus). 



Reed Sparrow, Reed Bunting, Water Sparrow, Mountain Spar- 

 row, Black-bonnet. Not a rare bird anywhere in England, I 

 believe, where water is not rare ; and very conspicuous from the 



