BLACK-HEADED BUNTING. 165 



EMBERIZA MELANOCEPHALA. 

 BLACK-HEADED BUNTING. 



(Plate 15.) 



Emberiza melanocepliala, Scop. Ann. I. Hist. Nat. p. 142 (1769); et auctorum 

 plurimorum — Gmelin, Latham, Temminck, (Beyland 8( Oei-be), (Salvadori), 

 {Sam), Newton, Dresser, &c. 



Tanagra melanictera, G'dld. N. Comm. Acad. Sci. Imp. Petrop. six. p. 466 (1775). 



FringiUa crocea, VieiU. Ois. Chant, pi. 27 (1805). 



Passerina melanocephala {Scop.), VieiU. N. Diet d'Hist. Nat. xxv. p. 28 (1817). 



Xanthornus cauoasicus, Pall. Zoogr. Sosso-Asiat. i. p. 428 (1826). 



Emberiza granativora, M^netr. Cat. Pais. Cauc. p. 40 (1832). 



Euspiza melanocephala (Scop.), Bonap. Comp. List B. Eur. 8f N. Amer. p. 32 (1838). 



Euapiza simillima, Blyth, Journ. As. Soc. Beng. xviii. p. 811 (1849). 



Euspiza atricapilla, Brehm, Naumannia, 1855, p. 277. 



Granativora melanocephala {Scop.), Bonap. Cat. Parzud. p. 6 (1856). 



The claim of the Black-headed Buating to be considered a British bird 

 rests upon a solitary example said to have been shot near Brighton. Its 

 alleged appearance vras recorded by the late Mr. Gould, who in 'The 

 Ibis' for 1869, p. 128, writes respecting it as follows: — "1 have now to 

 inform you of the occurrence of Emberiza {Euspiza) melanocephala, of 

 which a very fine old female specimen, in perfect plumage, is now before 

 me. It was brought to me by Mr. Robert Brazener, of 23 Lewes Road, 

 Brighton, by whom it was shot about the 3rd of November last, near Mr. 

 Ballard's windmill, on Brighton racecourse, while, as he stated, 'it was 

 following a flock of Yellow Hammers.' His two sons were with him at 

 the time. On an examination of the bird, a number of eggs were found 

 in the ovarium. This is all the information I was able to obtain respecting 

 it." "Whatever doubt may rest upon this statement, the fact that the 

 Black-headed Bunting has unquestionably occurred on Heligoland makes 

 it probable that it has also visited our shores, and is sufficient excuse for 

 including it in the present work. 



The geographical distribution of the Black -headed Bunting is a very 

 extraordinary one, the line of migration taken by this species, although 

 not unique amongst European birds, being very exceptional. In Italy it 

 breeds in the Riviera and on both shores of the Adriatic. It is a common 

 summer visitor to Greece and Turkey ; and I have shot it as far north as 

 the Dobrudscha. It is equally common in Asia Minor, the Caucasus, 

 Palestine, and Persia, passes through Afghanistan and Scinde on migra- 

 tion, and winters in Western and Central ladia. Since it has never 

 occurred in Africa, and such a conspicuous bird could scarcely be over- 



