224 



THE EEED BUNTING. 



song, Tze, tze, tzirr, tzirr! resembles that of the Yellowhammer, 

 though shorter, and purer in tone. It is very friendly with 

 the Yellowhammer if confined in the same cage, and manifests 

 a preference for the same food. 



96. THE REED BUNTING. 



Emberiza Schcenilus, LIN. Ortolan de Roseaux, BUF. Der Rohrammer, 



BECH. 



Description. This bird, which is about the size of the Com- 

 mon Sparrow, is five inches and three-quarters in length, of 

 which the tail measures two inches and a half. The beak is 

 four lines long, black on the upper side, and whitish below ; 

 the iris dark brown ; the feet nine lines in height, and dark 

 flesh-colour. The head is black, sparingly spotted with red, 

 and round it, beginning from the lower mandible, runs a white 

 stripe, broadest at the cheeks, and narrowest at the nape of the 

 neck. The back of the neck is ashen grey ; the back is black, 

 spotted with rust-colour and white ; the rump alternately grey, 

 and reddish yellow. The throat is black, spotted with white ; 

 the rest of the lower part of the body dirty white, spotted on 

 the breast and sides with brown. The small wing coverts are 

 rust-coloured ; the larger are black, but bordered in some places 

 with rust-colour, and in others with white. The pen feathers 

 are dark brown, edged with light rust- colour ; the tail is forked 

 and black ; the two outer feathers having on the outer plume 

 a large wedge-shaped white spot, and the centre feathers being 

 edged with yellowish brown. 



In the aviary, the head of the male becomes lighter in 

 colour after every moulting, and acquires, in addition, a red- 

 dish brown tinge. 



In the female, the head is rusty brown, spotted with black ; 

 the cheeks are also brown, and a reddish white stripe passes 

 over the eyes, uniting itself with a second of similar colour, 

 which begins at the lower corner of the beak, and surrounds 

 the cheeks. A blackish brown stripe passes down each side 

 of the neck. The throat and lower part of the body are red- 

 dish white, with numerous stripes of blackish brown on the 

 breast ; the colour of the back is lighter and less pure than in 

 the male. 



Habitat. This bird inhabits not only the whole of Europe, 



