BUNTINGS. 413 



is found lower down, and always likes to hide in dense thickets. It hops a good 

 deal upon the ground, is by no means shy, and when frightened up, soon settles 

 on the nearest low bush and shows little fear. In its flight it also resembles its 

 near relative, quarrelling and snapping at it when none of its own species are near 

 with whom it can fall out ; and it is equally quarrelsome, and at times as restless as 

 that bird. These buntings eat both insects and seeds. Although Mr. Seebohm con- 

 siders that the song of the cirl bunting bears some resemblance to that of the lesser 

 redpoll and lesser whitethroat, it still more closely resembles that of the yellow 

 bunting, but is never ended with the long-drawn note which marks the song of the 



CIRL BUNTING AND MEADOW BUNTING (| uat. size). 



latter. The cirl bunting breeds early, nesting in positions similar to those adopted 

 by the yellow bunting, and constructing its nest on a bank or amongst briars and 

 brambles, usually at no great distance from the ground. The nest is built of dry 

 roots and grasses, lined with fine roots and a little hair. The eggs are bluish white, 

 in ground-colour streaked and blotched with very dark brown ; two clutches being 

 usually laid in a season. The song of the male commences early in the year, and 

 is usually delivered from the lower branches of an elm or the top of some hedgerow 

 tree, but occasionally from a bare telegraph wire. It is continued throughout 

 August and September. In hard weather cirl buntings associate with other birds, 

 such as larks, in the open fields. In confinement the cirl bunting is a shy species, 

 very difficult to tame ; although Montagu reared a young one from the nest, which 



