CORN BUNTING. 47 



Plumage. Variable, according to age, sex, and season. Wings 

 and tail brown ; otherwise brownish red is the usual colouring. 

 Bill dark brown, having the mandibles crossed (hence name). 

 Legs dark brown. Length 6J in. Female, more or less 

 streaked, and brownish red colouring of the male replaced by 

 greenish yellow. Young, more of a greyish green and more 

 streaked below. 



Language. Song, a low warble. Call-note, "gip-gip" or 

 " chip-chip.' 1 



Habits. Gregarious. When climbing about the branches of 

 a fir it is distinctly parrot-like in its actions, helping itself along 

 with its beak. Flight strong and undulating. 



Food. Caterpillars in summer, but chiefly berries, and espe- 

 cially seeds of the fir and pine. 



Nest. February or March. Probably one brood only. 



Site. At varying altitudes, in a fork or on lateral branch of 

 a fir-tree. 



Materials. Fir-twigs, grass, and lichen, lined with fine grass, 

 moss, wool, and feathers. 



Eggs. Four to rive. Pale greenish blue, spotted and 

 speckled rather sparingly with dark reddish brown, and paler 

 underlying markings. 



TWO-BAEEED CEOSSBILL (Loxia bi fas data) . 



A very rare straggler. It is distinguished from the last by 

 the two white bars on the wings. 



Subfamily EMBERIZINJE. 



COEN OE COMMON BUNTING (Emberiza miliaria). 



Eesident. Generally distributed, but decidedly local, and 

 found most abundantly in well-cultivated districts. Earer 

 farther north. 



Haunts. Fields, more particularly where cereals are 

 growing. 



Plumage. Upper parts yellowish brown with blackish 

 centres to the feathers. Wings darker brown margined with 

 buff. Tail lighter brown with pale edges ; under parts buffish 

 white marked with dusky streaks. Bill yellowish brown. Legs 

 flesh colour. Length 7 in. Female, slightly smaller and 

 greyer. Young, more richly coloured. 



Language. Song, two or three energetic chirps followed by a 

 jumbled-up sound like the smashing of glass as heard from 

 some distance, or the crunching of a bunch of keys in the palm 

 of the hand, thus: " tees-tees-tees-tis-is-is-s-s-r-r-re." Call- 

 note, " tzit " or " tzit-kaak," having a metallic sound. 



