296 INSESSORES. EMBERIZA. Ortolan-Bunting. 



Plate C. Fig. 7. Figure of the natural size. Form typical. 

 General Bill reddish-brown, scarcely so thick as that of the Yellow 

 tion. Biniting, and larger in proportion. Head, hind part of 



the neck, and breast greenish-grey. Auriculars mixed 

 yellow and blackish-grey. Streak from the corners of 

 the lower mandible, eyes, orbits, chin, and throat, pale 

 lemon-yellow ; the streak from the corners of the mouth 

 being divided from the yellow of the chin, by a narrow 

 band of greenish-grey. Feathers of the back and the 

 scapulars having dark brown centres, their marginal 

 portions being a yellowish-brown, slightly tinged with 

 oil-green. Lower part of the back, and upper tail co- 

 verts, yellowish-brown. Under plumage pale reddish- 

 chestnut ; the feathers being tipped with greyish-white. 

 Greater coverts and quills hair-brown, margined with 

 yellowish-white. Tail hair-brown ; margined paler ; 

 nearly square at the end ; the two outer feathers on 

 each side having the anterior part of their inner webs 

 white. Legs yellowish-brown, with a reddish tinge. 

 Hind claw not much curved. 



Subfamily FRINGILLANA, Swajns. 



This group, which embraces the Sparrows f genus Passer) 

 and other nearly allied genera, with the birds also belonging 

 to the genus Fri7igilla, as now restricted, (represented by 

 Fringilla cwlebs, the Goldfinches and Siskitis) distinguishes 

 its members by a conic bill, nearly entire, and with the low- 

 er mandible frequently smaller than the u})per. Their con- 

 nection with the foregoing, as well as with the subsequent 

 minor divisions or svibfamilies, are supported by forms di- 

 verging from the Type, and assuming to a certain extent 

 the more prominent characteristics of the others. 



They subsist upon seeds and grain, the harder ones of 

 which they deprive of the outer covering by means of their 



