156 BRITISH BIRDS. 



EMBERIZA CIRLUS. 

 CIRL BUNTING. 



(Plate 13.) 



Emberiza sepiaria, Briss. Orn. iii. p. 263 (1760). 



Emberiza cirlus, lAnn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 311 (1766) ; et auctorum plurimoruni— 

 Omdin, Latham, Temminck, Begland 8/- Gerbe, Gould, Salvadori, Dresser, New- 

 ton, &o. 



Emberiza elssathorax, Bechst. Orn. Taschenb. p. 135 (1802). 



Citrinella cirlus {Linn.), Oray, Hand-l. B. ii. p. 113 (1870). 



The Cirl Bunting is one of the most local of our resident hirds. It is 

 strictly a southern species^ and has heen found breeding in all the counties 

 of the south coast^ from Cornwall to Sussex^ being apparently absent from 

 Kent. It also breeds in Surrey^ Middlesex^ Hereford, Buckingham^ Berks^ 

 WiltSj Gloucester^ Worcester, and Warwick. Specimens are from time to 

 time taken or observed in many other parts of the country, even as far 

 north as Aberdeenshire. It appears to have been unknown in Ireland in 

 Thompson's day ; but, on the authority of Mr. Blake Knox, it has been- 

 seen at Wexford (Zoologist, 1866, p. 95). 



The geographical distribution of the Cirl Bunting is very restricted. On 

 the European continent it does not appear to breed north of Dresden or 

 east of the Crimea. It is a resident in Central and Southern Europe, but 

 in South Italy, Greece, and Asia Minor it breeds in the mountains, winter- 

 ing in the plains. It is a partial migrant, many individuals leaving the 

 most northern breeding-grounds during winter; and its numbers in 

 the southern portion of its range are considerably increased at that season. 

 It is principally a winter visitor to North-west Africa ; but Salvin found 

 it breeding in Algeria. It has not been found in Palestine or Egypt. The 

 Cirl Bunting has no ally for which it can possibly be mistaken. 



With English ornithologists the name of Montagu must ever be asso- 

 ciated with the Cirl Bunting ; and his discovery of this and other birds, 

 and the careful account of their habits which he gave to his brother natu- 

 ralists, might well serve as an example to those whose only efforts now- 

 adays appear to be to get a new bird enrolled on the British Ust, and pass 

 its life-history by as unworthy of further notice. Montagu tells us, in his 

 ' Ornithological Dictionary,' that he first discovered the Cirl Bunting near 

 Kingsbridge, in Devonshire, in the winter of 1800. He says that it was 

 not uncommon amongst flocks of Yellow Hammers and ChaflSnches, and 

 that he obtained several specimens of both sexes. 



The Cirl Bunting frequents similar localities to those selected by the 

 Yellow Bunting, but is said to prefer loftier trees. It is also much shyer, 

 and seems to keep out of sight as much as possible ; consequently there 



