504 EMBERIZID A. 
tion was taken from a bird caught at sea, a few miles off the 
Yorkshire coast, by the master of a trading vessel, in May 
1822. This specimen, which came into the possession of 
Mr. Fox, was lent to Mr. Bewick for his use in his work 
on British Birds. A fine male specimen was killed near 
Manchester in November 1827 and in 1837 another 
male Ortolan was caught near London, along with Yellow 
Buntings, in a bird-catcher’s net, and deposited in the 
aviary at the Zoological Gardens, as recorded by Mr. 
Blyth. 
At the end of April 1841 a fine specimen was shot 
whilst sitting on the parapet of the viaduct of the Brighton 
and London Railway, near the Brighton terminus. This 
example is now in the possession of Mr. William Borrer, 
juu., of Henfield. 
The Ortolan Bunting is only a summer visitor to the 
middle and northern countries of Europe; but considering 
the high northern latitude which this bird attains every 
season, it is rather matter of surprise that more specimens 
have not been recorded as obtamed in this country. It 
visits and produces its young in Denmark, Sweden, and 
Norway; and Linneus, in his Tour, mentions having seen 
it in Lapland on the -22nd of May. M. Temminck says, 
it is sometimes found in Holland. M. Vieillot observes of 
this species, in his Maune Francaise, that it is most nume- 
rous in the southern parts of France, where it arrives about 
the same time as the Swallows, and a little before the 
Quails. Mr. Hoy, in a letter to me, says in reference to 
the habits of this bird on a part of the Continent farther 
north than that referred to by M. Vieillot, “that it makes 
its appearance at the beginning of May, and almost imme- 
diately pairs and commences building; its monotonous 
chirping notes are heard the whole day long; these birds 
