360 EMEERIZA 



Frequents the borders of the forests, old conifer woods, and 

 bush-covered plains and fields, and is said to be not shy. In 

 the autumn they collect in large flocks, and range about the 

 open country and in the cornfields in search of food. The 

 call-note is like that of E. cUrinella, but the song is said to 

 be unlike that of a Bunting, reminding one more of that 

 of EritJiacus rubecula, and is prolonged and melancholy, but 

 not loud. Nidification commences in May, and the nest, which 

 is placed on the ground under a bush or tussock, is neatly con- 

 structed of grass-bents and plant-stems, lined with hair. The 

 eggs, 4 to 6 in number, are in character like those of E. citrin- 

 ella, and are dull white, pale bluish white, or rose-white, with 

 faint violet-grey shell-markings and marblings, and blackish 

 brown surface-lines or spots, and in size average about O77 

 by 0-66. 



519. GREY-HEADED BUNTING. 

 EMBERIZA FUCATA. 



Emberiza fucata, Pall. Eeis. R. R. iii. p. 698 (1776) ; Tenim. and 

 Schlegel, Faun. Jap. Aves, pi. 57 ; Gould, B. of As. v. pi. 9 ; 

 David and Oust. Ois. Chine, p. 325 ; Sharpe, Cat. B. Br. Mus. xii. 

 p. 493 ; Gates, F. Brit. Ind. Birds, ii. p. 252 ; Tacz. F. 0. Sib. 0. 

 p. 577, E. lesbia, Gmel. Syst. Nat. i. p. 882 (1788) ; Gould, B. of E. 

 iii. pi. 178. 



Putthur-chirta, Hind. ; Ho-aka, Jap. 



ad. (Japan). Crown, hind-neck, and sides of neck grey, streaked 

 with black ; upper parts pale chestnut-red, blotched and streaked with 

 black ; wings and tail dark brown, with pale external margins, the two 

 outer rectrices with large, oblique, white terminal patches ; under parts 

 white, the throat with lateral black blotches, which meet across the lower 

 throat ; ear-coverts and a band across the breast chestnut-red ; flanks 

 washed with buff and streaked with blackish brown ; bill dark fleshy 

 brown, paler below ; legs pinkish ; iris brown. Culmen 0'5, wing 2 P 85, 

 tail 2*7, tarsus 0'8 inch. The female differs only in being somewhat duller 

 in colour. 



Hob. Eastern Siberia, Manchuria, Corea, Japan, China, 

 Assam ; wintering in Southern China and Burma ; is said to 

 have strayed to Europe. 



Frequents open rocky places covered with low bushes, and 

 is said not to be particularly shy. Its song is sweet and long, 

 and it is said to be one of the best of the Siberian songsters 

 amongst the Buntings. It arrives at its breeding haunts early 

 in May and commences modification in June. The nest is 

 placed on the ground or in a bush within about a foot from 



