EMBEEIZA SCIKEiVlCLUS. 109 



121. Emberiza hortulana, Linna3us. The Ortolan. 



Moorish. Merskezan (Favier). Spanish. Hortolano. 



''The Ortolan is, next to the Common Bunting, the most 

 abundant of the genus near Tangier. Some remain to breed ; 

 while the rest pass on during April, returning in September. 

 Migrating in large flocks, they prefer wet ground, and are not 

 observed in the winter months." Favier. 



Curiously enough, I never succeeded in obtaining the Ortolan 

 nearer to Gibraltar than the vicinity of Casas Viejas, where I found 

 them in May. In the vicinity of Seville they are plentifully met 

 with, but do not occur during the winter. 



Male. General colour above pale reddish brown ; head greenish olive ; 

 cheeks, throat, and axillaries pale yellow ; neck and chest greenish olive ; 

 rest below cinnamon ; bill reddish brown. 



Female. Paler than male : lower throat streaked with brown. Length 



7 O 



6 inches. 



122. Emberiza schoeniclus, Linnaeus. The Reed-Bunting. 



Included by Favier in his list as " rare near Tangier ; met with 

 in December." Capt. Savile Reid found them common in winter 

 at Meshree el Haddar. They are most abundant near Gibraltar 

 from December to February, and were seen on passage as late as 

 the 7th of April, They do not remain to nest in the sotos at 

 Casas Viejas ; but near Seville, where they are often sold in cages 

 under the name of " Hortolano," I have seen them in May, and 

 have no doubt that they there remain throughout the breeding- 

 season. 



Male in spring. Head and throat black ; cheeks white ; eye-stripe white ; 

 white collar from bill round nape ; rump bluish grey ; lesser wing-coverts 

 chestnut. 



In autumn the black is hidden by rufous edgings, and the white by sandy- 

 brown edgings. 



Female. Head and ear-coverts reddish brown, streaked with black ; 

 breast and flanks white, streaked with blackish. Outside web of second 

 tail-feather white. Length 6 inches. 



