190 



Respecting the occurrence of this Bunting in Germany our friend Mr. von Homeyer writes 

 us as follows : — " Various opinions are held respecting the occurrence of this bird with us, caused 

 partly because it leads a very silent life, and partly because it only frequents certain localities, 

 and deserts these so soon as they are no longer suitable to its taste. In general it affects sandy 

 soils, but also occurs, not unfrequently, in many fruitful parts. Places where low bushes and old 

 trees are scattered round, pasturages with scattered open thickets and single high trees, where 

 water is near, appear to suit it best. I found it numerous in Mark Brandenburg and parts of 

 Silesia ; in Vor-Pommern it is in general rare, and only in some parts, as, for instance, Uecker- 

 miinde, commoner. In many parts of Hinter-Pommern it nests not unfrequently, but always in 

 localities like those above referred to. During the autumn migration in August I found it singly, 

 but annually, on the island of Riigen ; and here I procured the first old autumn bird known to 

 scientific men, which Naumann figured in his appendix. In the spring its song is first heard 

 early in May." Naumann's account of its habits is as follows : — " It frequents, like other 

 Buntings, not the dense forest, nor the fir-woods, but the edges of the thickets, hedges, and low 

 brushwood on meadows and fields, and lovely gardens, when these are near the woods, but always 

 near water. It therefore resorts to marshy underbrush, field-hedges where there are wet ditches, 

 bushy banks of rivers and streams or other such low-lying localities. It likes willows and willow- 

 thickets, but not the true fens, and is only found on the edges of large marshes, thus differing 

 considerably from the Peed-Bunting. It does not show itself much, but keeps either hidden 

 amid the branches of the bushes, or hops about on the ground amongst the grass and weeds 

 seeking its food, flies but little, or never to any distance, and avoids the open country. Only the 

 males are in the breeding-season more restless, sit often on the tops of trees, particularly on trees 

 standing alone in the fields. The females one sees far more seldom." Mr. Dresser has found 

 them abundant in North Finland and Sweden during the spring. They arrive there soon after 

 the snow leaves ; and the males may be seen abundantly as one travels along the country roads, 

 sitting on the tops of the small haybarns that stand in most of the meadows, or on the top of a 

 pole in the rough fences, uttering their melancholy call-note. As Naumann remarks, the females 

 are but seldom observed, though the males seem to be so abundant. Its flight is swift and 

 strong, being a continuation of semicircles; but it appears to avoid long flights, only going 

 short distances, from bush to bush, or fence to fence. The note bears considerable resemblance 

 to that of the Yellow Bunting, but appears more melancholy and softer. Boie (Naum. 265) very 

 correctly describes it in the following syllables:— -jif,jtf,jtf, tjor, tj'dr. According to Naumann 

 it breeds here and there in different parts of both Central and South Germany ; but he says that 

 but little is known as to its nidification. 



Mr. P. Collett, of Christiania, sends us the accompanying interesting note : — " Only once, on 

 the 21st of May 1863, have I seen this bird rise, singing in the air like a Pipit, and drop down 

 again slowly on to a stone ; its song consisted of the normal strophe, which is distinguishable 

 from that of its congener Emberiza citrinella by the first note being divided thus, ti-i, and the 

 final note deep tjorr, with the addition of a slight preliminary and closing twitter. It rose, 

 several times, about fifty feet into the air and descended again. It was a clear fine evening. I 

 have otherwise heard it sing like the Yellow Bunting, sitting on the top of a tree. Both these 

 species are early birds, and are singing loudly at the first appearance of dawn." 



