EMBERIZINJE. EMBERIZA. 187 



have a strong, rapid, rather undulated flight ; move on 

 the ground by short leaps, frequent the open fields, re- 

 treating to trees and bushes when disturbed. The nest 

 is rather bulky, compact, deep, and placed on the ground 

 or in bushes. The eggs, about five, are marked with 

 spots or lines. 



GENUS LVIII. EMBERIZA. BUNTING. 



Bill short, conical, strong, somewhat pentagonal at the base, 

 compressed toward the end ; upper mandible narrower, with 

 the edges inflected, lower with the edges involute ; gape-line 

 ascending obliquely for nearly half its length. Mouth ra- 

 ther narrow ; upper mandible internally with a sudden bend 

 about the middle, anterior to which is a prominent knob ; 

 tongue sagittate and papillate at the base, compressed, with 

 two short bristly points ; oesophagus dilated about the middle ; 

 proventriculus oblong ; gizzard roundish, compressed, with 

 very strong lateral muscles, large tendons, and dense, rugous 

 epithelium ; intestine of moderate length and width. Nos- 

 trils oblong. Eyes of moderate size. Aperture of ear ra- 

 ther large. Head ovate ; neck short ; body moderately stout. 

 Legs rather strong, of moderate length or rather short ; tar- 

 sus compressed, with seven distinct scutella ; toes moderate, 

 compressed ; claws arched, compressed, indistinctly grooved, 

 acute. Plumage blended ; wings moderate, rounded, the 

 second and third longest ; tail moderate ov rather long, emar- 

 ginate. 



Four species of this genus occur in Britain. 



113. EMBERIZA MILIARIA. CORN BUNTING. 



In both sexes the upper parts light yellowish-brown, streaked 

 with blackish-brown, each feather being of that colour along 

 the shaft ; lower parts pale yellowish-grey, each feather of 

 the fore neck tipped with a triangular spot of brownish-black, 

 the fore part of the breast and the sides with more elongated 

 and fainter spots. Young similar to the adult, but with the 

 upper parts paler, and the dark markings of the lower more 

 elongated. 



Male, 7J, 13, 4, ||, ft, J, &. Female, 7J, 12|. 



