128 CIRL BUNTING. 



plumage, the general colour of the upper parts being 

 yellowish brown, and of the lower, yellowish grey. The 

 food of this species consists chiefly of seeds and grain, 

 but in the summer it feeds on insects. 



The song is harsh and monotonous, and has no music 

 in it. For its breeding site the Corn Bunting usually 

 chooses some open field, in which it builds its nest 

 on the ground, away from hedges and trees, and pro- 

 tected by some overhanging tuft or clump. Frequently 

 it is found amongst the growing corn. It is not 

 generally finished before the middle of May or the 

 beginning of June, and is frequently brought to light 

 by the mowers. Roots and straw, dry grass and 

 leaves are the materials used in its construction, and 

 it is lined with hair. 



The eggs, four to six, usually four, are oval in shape ; 

 they are of a pale greyish white colour, tinged some- 

 times with a dirty pink tint, spotted, streaked and 

 blotched with reddish-brown or greyish-purple mark- 

 ings. They cannot well be confused with the eggs of 

 any other of the Buntings, on account of their larger 

 size. I have seen a clutch of the eggs of this bird 

 very much resembling large eggs of the Greenfinch, 

 but rounder and of a duller ground colour. 



CIRL BUNTING. 



EMBERIZA CIRLUS. 



Family PASSERID^E. Sub-family FRINGILLIN^;. Genus EM- 

 BERIZA. 



Black-throated Yellow Hammer. 



The Cirl Bunting is a rare bird, and very local in its 

 haunts, being confined to the southern counties of 



