234 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL AIST. SOCIETY, Vol. XXVUiil. 
{Meinerzhagen states (Ibis, 1914, p. 390) that he saw Emberiza leucocephala 
near Baghdad ; as there are no other records of this bird I include the record in 
square brackets. ] 
26. Black-headed Bunting. Emberiza melanocephala. 
Emberiza melanocephala, (Hist. pl. 42 1769,—Carnioia). Scop. (Annus 1. Nat. 
To most of our district this species is, where it occurs at all, a passage migrant 
and all the records refer to the spring. Pitman says a few arrived at Feluja on 
April 17th and inhabited some locust-infested fields together with Ortolans and 
Wagtails until the 21st, when they disappeared. Cheesman noted odd ones at 
Fatah Gorge on April 18th and Tomlinson records a large flock at Shustar on the 
19th. Cumming found it at Bushire on the 14th, while Cheesman reports it from. 
Shush on May Ist. It would appear from the absence of other records that this 
species comes from the south-east and migrates along the line of the Jebel 
Hamrin. 
In the Urfa district according to Weigold the males appeared on April 28th. 
Tt evidently breeds at Mosul, and perhaps elsewhere in northern Mesopotamia. 
as Sassi says he received 11 eggs from there, but gives no further particulars. 
Three skins examined: ¢ Feluja, 17, 21 and 22, iv, 17 (C. R. P.). 
27. Red-headed Bunting. Emberiza icterica. 
Emberiza icterica, (Add. ad. Pall. Zoogr. Russo, Asiat, ii, Eversm. p. 
10, 1841—Caspian) (=luteola auct). 
The only record of this species is that of a single young bird obtained at Fao: 
by Cumming. 
28. Grey-headed Bunting. Emberiza cinerea 
Emberiza cinerea semenowi, Zar. (Orn. Jahrb. xy, 1904, p. 117— 
Arabistan). 
This somewhat rare Bunting is recorded by Zarudny as a passage migrant in 
the Karun district. Cumming obtained it at Bushire on March 27th. As it 
nests in large numbers in Arabistan (Zarudny) and occurs in Syria it should be 
met with more commonly in Mesopotamia. Possibly it has been overlooked. 
The grey head and rump, and yellow throat should suffice to distinguish 
from other species, 
29. Ortolan Bunting. Emberiza hortulana. 
Emberiza hortulana, L. (Syst. Nat. Ed. X, p. 177, 1758—Sweden). 
This also is a passage migrant within our area and most records refer to the 
spring. Cheesman noted large and frequent flocks passing up the line of the 
Jebel Hamrin at Fatah Gorge on April 18th, halting for a few moments on a bush 
by a pooi to drink before dashing off N.N. W. again. Pitman records it in great 
numbers from April 15th to 20th feeding on young locusts and roosting in tail 
poplars. After the latter date only a few were seen and the last on May 8th. 
He also met with it in the Kut area from April 7th to 10th. Magrath saw a 
passing flock at Basra on April 22nd, and Cheesman came across small parties on 
the Baghdad-Tekrit railway feeding on the desert where it had been burnt by 
grass fires. Zatrudny records it as a passage migrant in his area also, and 
Weigold says they first arrived at Urfa on April 10th and continued passing to 
the end of the month. The only autumn record relates to the oasis of Shaiba 
where Cheesman found a pair at a well on September 27th. 
Five skins examined: @, Basra, 18-4-17; ¢, Tekrit,17-4-19 ; Shaiba, 27-9-16. 
(P.Z. C. and R. E.C.); ¢ 9, Faluja 17-4-17 (C. R. P.); ¢o 2, wing, 89-93 mm. 
These Mesopotamian birds differ in no way from European ones, nor do those 
I have seen from Persia, whence the so-called shah was desciibed ; a few Eastern 
birds are a millimeter or so longer than European ones, sex for sex, but the differ- 
ence is not sufficiently marked to warrant separation. 
