ORTOLAN BUNTING. 503 



(hike TuDstal, Esq., in the third volume of his Synopsis, 

 IIMU'C 211, No. 61. From these sources a description of 

 this bird was copied by Gmelin, Lewin, Montagu, and 

 others. Latham and Montagu both express their doubts 

 of its being a distinct species, no other instances appearing 

 to be recorded than those before mentioned. To the 

 Synopsis of the Newcastle Museum, by George T. Fox, 

 Esq., F.L.S., we are indebted for much valuable informa- 

 tion on various zoological subjects, and some particulars of 

 the Green-headed Bunting. From this gentleman's state- 

 ment, we learn that the specimen of the Green-headed 

 Bunting figured by Brown, while it was alive in the pos- 

 session of Mr. Moon, passed, when dead, into the posses- 

 sion of Mr. Tunstal, and was preserved for his collection ; 

 the same specimen had therefore furnished the materials for 

 each of the authors before enumerated. By the kindness 

 and influence of Mr. Fox, this specimen was a few years 

 ago sent up from Newcastle, and exhibited at a meeting of 

 the Linnean Society, and at the Zoological club ; and no 

 doubt remained in the minds of the members who were 

 conversant with birds, that the Green-headed Bunting was 

 only a variety of the Ortolan Bunting, the plumage having 

 become darker, the colours more intense, a change fre- 

 quently produced by artificial food and long confinement. 

 Mr. Selby, who has had opportunities of comparing the 

 specimen in the Newcastle Museum with examples of the 

 true Ortolan Bunting, has recorded his opinion to the same 

 effect. From Mr. Fox we also learn that the Wyclifte 

 collection, which came under his inspection, contained a 

 specimen of the Ortolan Bunting. Mr. Bewick, in the last 

 edition of liis beautiful work on British Birds, and in the 

 Supplement to a previous edition, has given a figure and 

 description of the true Ortolan Bunting. This representa- 



