7 8 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES. 



His song is not unfrequently heard as he flies 

 across the fields from one bush to another. 

 Sometimes he may be noticed clinging to the 

 stem of a weed, a stalk of meadow-sweet, a dock, 

 or a thistle ; and as he is by no means shy, you 

 may advance with due caution and observe him 

 closely as he sits uttering his monotonous zit. 

 The Common Bunting is a rather late breeder, 

 postponing his domestic arrangements until the 

 young corn is sufficiently dense to furnish plenty 

 of cover. It may be observed in pairs during 

 April, but May is the regular nesting period. 

 The nest is built upon the ground, often in the 

 middle of the field, frequently nearer to the 

 hedges, and occasionally under a bramble or a 

 bush growing on the open downs, or in a 

 neglected corner of the fields which is too out- 

 of-the-way for the plough to reach. It is made 

 of dry grass and straws, and lined with finer 

 grass, roots, and horsehair. The four or five 

 eggs are the largest of the British Buntings', but 

 otherwise resemble them in general appearance. 

 Only one brood is reared. In autumn the Com- 

 mon Bunting becomes gregarious, and at that 

 season its numbers appear to be considerably 

 increased by migrants. During winter it often 

 fraternises with Yellow Buntings, Larks, and 

 Finches. Its food consists of insects and larvae 

 in summer, and chiefly of seeds and grain for 

 the remainder of the year. This bird may often 

 be met with in the fields of standing corn, and the 

 stubbles afterwards are always a favourite haunt. 



Three species of Game Birds may also be met 

 distributed with amongst the herbage of the fields. The 

 preserved, best known of these is the PARTRIDGE (Perdix 



