70 THE BRITISH NATURE BOOK 



whistle, often repeated " Dee-ew, dee-ew." Its food consists chiefly of seeds, 

 hawthorn berries, and alas ! fruit buds. 



Bunting, Girl. A local bird in England and Wales rarely seen in Scotland 

 and Ireland, and not in the North of England. In appearance it resembles 

 the Yellowhammer, but has a black throat and an olive-green rump. Below 

 the black throat comes a yellow band, then a green one, and stripes of red-brown 

 on the flanks. Underneath yellow. Female has a yellow throat with streaks 

 of black. The eggs (three to five) are bluish white with markings like the 

 Yellowhammer's, but usually darker and bolder. The nest, found in May, is 

 like the Yellowhammer's. 



The song is said to resemble " Zee-ree-ree-ree-ree " repeated monotonously, 

 the call-notes being " Zip-zip " and " Basta." 



Bunting, Corn (Resident). This is a bird of heavy build, much like a lark 

 in appearance, and is at once distinguished from the other buntings by the 

 absence of any white in the tail. Its general colour is brown above, the under 

 parts greyish white with streaks and spots of dark brown. In autumn and 

 winter it becomes a lighter brown, tinged with yellow. The young are like the 

 parents in their winter garb, but have a reddish tinge on the throat and bright 

 yellow edges to the tail and other feathers. The song is a short strain, con- 

 stantly repeated, like that of the other buntings. The nest is found on the 

 ground in tufts of grass, furze, or small bushes, on downs and cornlands, and is 

 of grass and roots, lined usually with grass. The eggs, which vary in colour, 

 are generally grey-white with dark spots and scribbles : number, four to six ; 

 generally found in June and July. 



Bunting, Reed, often called " REED SPARROW." Common in marshy 

 districts and reed-beds; is at once distinguished by the black head and the 

 white collar. Upper parts reddish brown streaked with black, rump greyish ; 

 under parts white with brown streaks on sides. The female has a reddish 

 brown head. The song is a slight one, short and repeated, which has been 

 vocalized thus : " Tsza, teet, taee, tziziz, taee, tseer," etc. The nest is usually 

 in tussocks of grass or rushes, close to the ground, in marshy places, and is 

 made of dried grass, lined with finer material and hair. Four or five eggs are 

 laid, greenish or creamy white, spotted and streaked with rich dark brown 

 (generally smaller than those of the preceding), and may be found as early 

 as April. 



Bunting, Snow. This bird breeds rarely in the Highlands, but is generally 

 a winter visitor to coast districts. It is distinguishable from all other buntings 

 by the large amount of white on the wings. In fact the male, in breeding 

 plumage, is all white except on the back, centre tail quills, and wings. The 

 nest, composed of grass with a lining of feathers, fine grass or hair, is found 

 in crevices among rocks on a mountain side. The eggs are white or greenish 

 white with red-brown markings, and are laid in May or June. 



Bunting, Yellow, or YELLOWHAMMER. A quite common resident, the song 

 of which " A little bit of bread and no chee-eese " is familiar to everybody, 



