382 BIRDS OF INDIA. 



Nerbuddah ; also in the Nagpore country. Sykes obtained it in 

 the Deccan, where he found it on rocky and bushy mountains. I 

 found it in similar places at Mhow and Saugor, but also occasion- 

 ally on hedges and trees near cultivation, not far, however, from 

 hilly ground. Hodgson found it on hedgerows and brushwood 

 on the upland downs in winter ; resorting in summer to the 

 Northern region, and it is said to be common near Simla and 

 Mussooree. It does not, I believe, breed in the plains of 

 India. 



It also inhabits Central Asia and China, and it is figured in Buffon, 

 PL Enl. pi. 224, f. 1 as " LeMoineau de Macao." Swinhoe states 

 that a few couple only breed in China, but that it is common 

 in winter. I have had it caged, and it has a rather pleasant 

 chirping song. 



Many other Buntings are found in Central and Northern Asia, 

 and Europe, but none in the Malayan region. Among them 

 may be noticed the E. citrinella (the yellow ammer), E. miliaria, 

 E. provincialis, E. lesbia, E. cirlns, E. scliceniclus, and E. pyrrhu- 

 loides, all from Europe ; the two last constituting the Schaniclus 

 of Bonap., or Cynchramus of Kaup. 



Asia possesses in addition E. ciuerea, Strickl., and E. shall, 

 Bonap., from Western Asia, E. elegans, T., E. chrysophrys, Pali., 

 E. sid/>hurata,T., E. cioides, Brandt, (not of Temm.,) andE. rustica, 

 Pallas, from Japan and Northern Asia. Gould has E. castaniceps, 

 and Swinhoe E. canescens, both from China. The African Buntings 

 are classed under Fringillaria ; and the American Buntings form 

 several natural groups, very distinct from those of the Old 

 World, and which appear to grade into the Tanagers. One 

 species, the Gubernatrix cristatella, a beautiful crested bird, from 

 South America, deserves especial notice. 



The long- clawed or Lark-heeled Buntings, forming the genus 

 Pkctroplianes, Meyer, are peculiar to the Northern portions of 

 both Continents, and evidently grade into the Larks. 



The Tanagers, Tanagein^:, are a very numerous group, almost 

 confined to South America and the -more southern part of Central 

 America. They are very richly colored, and, in general, have 

 a notch on the upper mandible, from which Cuvier placed them in 



