i6 

 NEST AND EGGS OF THE BUNTING. 



PLATE XVI. 



The Bunting builds her nest in some clump of fern, 

 briers, or tall grass, often near the root of some low 

 shrub. In the nest before me, the outside is composed 

 of straw, small sticks, broken rushes, and moss. The 

 whole of the nest is composed of these materials, save 

 that the lining has a few hairs mixed amongst it. 



The whole is loosely and aukwardly put together, 

 irregular, and incompact, the cavity is shallow, and 

 the brim irregular and undefined. 



The eggs are large for the size of the bird. The 

 ground colour is white, and they are beautifully blotch- 

 ed, spotted, and streaked with black. Some of these 

 spots and scratches are clear and distinct, others are 

 dimly seen, appearing as if a blue pellicle was drawn 

 over them. This last circumstance is not peculiar to 

 the eggs of the Bunting, but common to those of most 

 other birds which lay spotted eggs. 



The Bunting continues with us all the year round. 

 In winter is gregarious, flying in flocks, and frequenting 

 fields of stubble. In breeding-time, the cock perches 

 on the tops of trees, chirping out his ditty all day long. 

 His notes are not unpleasant, though low. They are 

 more mellow and more varied than those of the yellow- 

 hammer. 



The cock is a bold and stately bird, and well deserves 

 a place amongst other birds, either in a cage, or an 

 aviary. 



The hen differs little from the cock, only her col- 

 ours in general are paler and fainter. 



