233 



procured a male at Hakodadi in October ; and in a collection made for me by Mr. Colin M'Vean 

 at Yedo, there are several fine specimens. 



Beyond the few details given above, I find no record of the habits of the present species ; 

 and but little is known respecting its nidification. I am, however, fortunate in possessing its 

 nest and eggs, of which, so far as I can ascertain, no reliable description has hitherto been 

 published. Piottuch was unable to find its nest, though he observed the birds during the whole 

 of the breeding- season; so Mr. F. C. Craemers got a peasant collector, who is an excellent bird- 

 nester, to hunt after the nest of this and other rare species which breed near Archangel. Last 

 season he succeeded in finding the nest of Loocia bifasciata, but was altogether unsuccessful in 

 his search after the eggs of this species; but a couple of months ago I received notice that he 

 had found the nest, which he had taken, securing the parent bird for identification ; and a week 

 ago I received a box in which I found, besides many other specimens, a nest, five eggs, and a 

 specimen of the Rustic Bunting. Unfortunately the eggs were sent unblown ; but as they were 

 fresh when taken, I have succeeded in blowing two, and have made tolerably good museum 

 specimens of the other three. The nest is constructed entirely of fine wiry yellow grass-bents, 

 and is tolerably though not very carefully built ; and the eggs are quite distinct from those of 

 any other species of European Bunting. In general character, and especially in markings, they 

 have great affinity with those of the Beed-Bunting ; but the ground-colour is quite different, 

 being white with a warm, almost reddish tinge, as if placed in a reddish light, whereas the 

 ground-colour of the eggs of the Beed-Bunting is greenish grey. The markings are similar in 

 character to those of the Beed-Bunting, but are more red in tinge of colour, being deep red ; and 

 they are, as a rule, bolder, and are collected chiefly round the larger end, forming a wreath. 

 The underlying shell-markings are light purplish, or violet-purplish, and are tolerably large. In 

 size the five eggs I have before me do not vary much, and are about as large as those of the 

 Beed-Bunting. 



The specimens figured are an adult male, from the Ural, in full breeding-dress, and a young 

 female from Turkey, both of which specimens are in my own collection. 



In the preparation of the above article I have examined the following specimens : — 



E Mus. H. E. Dresser. 



a, 2jun. Cholmogory, N. Russia, August 6th, 1869 (W. Meves). b,juv. Jurus, Archangel, September 15th, 

 1873 {Piottuch). c, 3 , d, 2 ■ Archangel, June 1875 (F. C. Craemers). e. Archangel, June 1877, sent 

 with nest and five eggs (Craemers). f,<5 ad. Ural, June 13th, 1872 (L. Sabanaeff). g, h (nestlings). 

 Ekaterinburg, Ural, June 15th, 1872 (Sabanaeff). i, 2juv. Buyukdere, Turkey, October 24th, 1871 

 (T.Robson). k,2juv. Amoor, September 22nd, 1856 (G. Radde). I, 6 jun. Amoor, April 11th, 1858 

 (Radde). m,6 , re, $ ad. Lake Baikal, March 26th, 1869 (Dr. DybowsM). o, 6 . Lake Baikal, April 21st 

 (Dr.Dybowski). p,6. Lake Baikal, April 24th (Dr. DybowsM). q, 6 , r, ? . Yedo, Japan (C. M'Vean). 



E Mus. Howard Saunders, 

 a, <$ juv. Dvina, August 9th (Meves). b, d , c, ? . Lake Baikal, April 19th, 1869 (Dr. DybowsM). 



