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Professor Doderlein says " that the Ortolan arrives in plenty near Modena, in Italy, for its 

 spring residence, and is dispersed equally over the plains and hills, passing again in September. 

 In Sicily it is partly resident, rare in Palermo and Messina, common in the higher portion of the 

 island (Benoit). In the early spring a large portion pass on to the continent and do not return 

 in the autumn. A stray pair or two may remain to breed in Sicily ; for some are taken near 

 Syracuse in May. In Sardinia they pass occasionally." Captain Sperling obtained a specimen at 

 Malta in April ; and Mr. C. A. Wright, our great authority on the birds of this island, writes as 

 follows : — " Not uncommon in some years. It appears in spring and autumn, in March and 

 April in the. former, and in September and October in the latter season." 



Von der Miihle says that it is not common in Greece, but more numerous on the autumn 

 migration. It inhabits the bushes along the shores of the rivers. It breeds in the flat fruitful 

 parts, as, for instance, on the shores of the Eurotas, near Sparta. Lindermayer calls it a rare 

 migrant in the country. Lord Lilford states : — " This Bunting arrives in Corfu in April, and 

 remains to breed. It is rather common. I never observed it in winter." Messrs. Elwes and 

 Buckley state that it is very common in summer all over Turkey ; and Mr. Robson has sent several 

 specimens to England, procured by him in Asia Minor. Strickland found it at Smyrna in April. 

 Messrs. Dickson and Eoss also noticed it at Erzeroom from the 19th of April to the 8th of May. 

 Von Nordmann records it as the most common of all Buntings in Southern Russia. He states as 

 follows : — " It is found in the most contrary localities : — in Bessarabia, in the gardens, in the 

 copses, and in the low grounds where trees are scattered round ; in the Crimea, in the flat steppes 



as well as among the rocks of the south coast. It nests in all these localities On the 



south coast of the Crimea we often see this bird consorting with Turdus saxatilis." Dr. Gustav 

 Radde writes : — It is seen in South Russia now and then in summer, as, for instance, at Simphe- 

 ropol, on the country of high, rich, flowery grass along the limestone hills." Herr H. Goebel also 

 observes that it is " common in summer at Uman (South Russia), arriving late in April or early 

 in May, and leaving in September." Menetries says that the Ortolan is very common on the 

 Caucasus — a statement confirmed by Defilippi in the account of his travels in Persia ; it was, adds 

 the latter author, rare near Elburz. It even extends its range into the confines of India; for 

 Jerdon says: — "The Ortolan of Europe, considered by Horsfield identical with Blyth's species 

 formerly named by him E. buchanani, is recorded to have been occasionally found in Western 

 India. 



Canon Tristram, speaking of the occurrence of the present species in Palestine, says that it 

 is " very abundant in the upper country in spring, returning to breed about the first or second 

 week in April." Again he writes : — " Abundant in the hills and plains in spring. Does not seem 

 to descend into the Ghor." It has not yet occurred to Captain Shelley during his ornithological 

 excursions in Egypt ; but Mr. E. Cavendish Taylor once shot one near Benisouef in March. Von 

 Heuglin, however, states that the Ortolans arrive in Egypt about the end of March, and in April 

 in flocks, and again in the autumn. In Abyssinia they are common from the end of September 

 to April ; and possibly a few pairs breed there. In the highlands they range up to the plateau of 

 Semicn, Wogara, and Begemeder, to an altitude of 10,000 feet, not in large flocks, but scattered 

 on the bushy pasturages and hills. In another note he says that it is very common at the end of 

 September in the Bogos country, on grass-land and on rocky precipices. 



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