88 BROWN BIRDS WITH SPOTTED BREASTS. 



similarly preceded by some six or seven detached 

 notes, is distinctly melancholy in its modulation, 

 whilst the final note of the Corn-Bunting is purely 

 mechanical in quality, and has a shivering, tinkling 

 character quite different from the nasal drawl of the 

 Yellowhammer. The Corn-Bunting lacks the white 

 side- feathers so conspicuous in the tails of the 

 Buntings when flying, and is somewhat Lark-like 

 in its general aspect. It nests in grass and affects 

 hedge-bordered and tree-dotted grass lands, associating 

 in autumn with the bands of Finches that feed in the 

 stubble-fields. 



WRYNECK. Plate 37. 7J inches. Upper parts 

 brownish -gray, finely speckled and mottled with 

 black, brown, buff, and gray ; sides of head, throat, 

 and fore-neck pale buff, with dark cross-lines ; a dark 

 patch on the ears ; breast and belly white, with dark 

 arrow-head marks ; wings and tail barred transversely. 

 Summer migrant. 



Eggs. 7-10, pure white; '8 * '6 (plate 125). 



Nest. A hole in a decaying tree not far up the 

 trunk, the bedding being the rotting wood itself. 



The Wryneck occurs chiefly in the south and 

 south-eastern parts of England, and is rare or absent 

 from the midland counties northwards. Arriving 

 in April, it betakes itself to gardens and orchards, 

 parks and woods, where it announces its advent by its 

 frequently uttered call, ' Pee ! ' repeated many times in 

 succession, and diminishing in speed, volume, and pitch 

 to its rather melancholy close. Occasional^ the bird 



