THE~COMMON BUNTING 



is repeated over and over again with irritating monotony 

 as the bird sits on some exposed spot, or even whilst he is 

 fluttering lazily with legs hanging down from one perch 

 to another. The call-note is long-drawn and harsh. 

 The food of this species consists chiefly of grain and seeds 

 in winter, but in summer large quantities of insects and 

 larvae are sought. Like most of its kind it is social and 

 gregarious during the non-breeding season, and then is 

 often seen on stubbles and in the vicinity of stacks and 

 farm-buildings. The Corn Bunting breeds in May and 

 June, making a slovenly nest upon the ground, usually 

 amongst grass and growing crops. It is formed of dry 

 grass, moss, roots, twitch, and dead leaves, lined with 

 similar but finer material and horsehair. The five or six 

 eggs are white, tinged with grey, bufT, or purple, spotted, 

 blotched, and streaked in profusion with various shades 

 of brown and violet-grey. The scribbled lines and 

 scratches on the eggs often lend them a very handsome 

 appearance. 



The adult Common Bunting has the upper parts brown, 

 marked with darker brown ; the wing- coverts and inner 

 secondaries have pale brown margins ; the wings and tail 

 are dark brown, with similar pale margins ; the under parts 

 are dirty white, with triangular spots of dark brown on 

 the sides of the neck and the breast, and with streaks of 

 the same on the flanks. Bill dark brown, paler below ; 

 tarsi and toes pale brown ; irides brown. Length 7-5- 

 inches. The nestling is more rufous in general colour, 

 and is more profusely spotted on the under surface. 



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