138 BLACK-HEADED BUNTING. 



as ' cirririri, cirin.' It has another querulous note, similar to that 

 of the female, which it repeats from time to time when frightened, 

 and which may be rendered by 'cid, cia,.' Chased from the tree, it 

 skims over the surface of the cornfields with a low, continuous, 

 regular flight, till it arrives at another tree, when it rises quickly, 

 perching on the highest bough, from which it returns to its mono- 

 tonous song. This bird is a great devastator in the cornfield, clinging 

 to the steins of wheat, and stripping the ears of corn nearest to 

 maturity, eating the grain in part, and letting the greater portion 

 fall to the ground. It is very tender over its young, the two birds 

 guiding and defending them until they grow strong. About the 

 middle of July this bird begins to disappear, so that by the first days 

 of August there remain no individuals in the plains. They are 

 difficult to keep in confinement." 



The male of this beautifully-marked bird has the breeding plumage 

 as follows : — Head, nape, and auditory regions deep black. The whole 

 of the back, scapularies, and upper wing coverts rich dark russet, 

 tinged with yellow; chin and all the inferior parts bright citron 

 yellow. Wings and tail brown; the primaries lightly edged with 

 grey; edges of secondaries broad and rufous. Beak bluish grey; feet 

 yellowish brown. Iris dark brown. 



The female in breeding plumage is brown above, each feather 

 streaked down the centre with darker colour, more shown in the 

 young bird. Wings brown, the quills being broadly margined with 

 yellowish brown, as are the middle and greater coverts, the lesser 

 coverts being like the back; tail feathers light brown, bordered with 

 yellowish white. Lower parts yellow, with a tinge of ash-colour, 

 more shown on the breast. 



My figure of this bird is taken from a specimen kindly sent to 

 me by Mr. Tristram. It is from Greece. The egg is from my own 

 collection, being one of four taken by Dr. Kriiper in Greece. I have 

 also a series taken at Smyrna, which do not differ much from the 

 above. 



The bird has also been figured by Temminck in his Atlas; Roux, 

 Ornith. Prov.; Giildenstadt, Nov. Com.; Naumann, Naturg. Neue Ausg., 

 pi. 101, f. 2; Gould, Birds of Europe, pi. 172; Dresser, Birds of 

 Europe, pi. 72. Pour figures of the egg are given in Badeker's 

 illustrations of European eggs. 



