120 THE BIRDS OF SUSSEX. 



discharge his gun before coming indoors. This was a male 

 bird. It is tolerably common in the neighbourhood ot 

 Brighton, and I have met with it occasionally, from Hastings 

 in the east, to Bognor in the west. 



The note, which merely requires of the passer by " a little 

 bit of bread and no — ," without any mention of the " cheese," 

 is generally heard from a high leafy tree, which makes it diffi- 

 cult to get sight of the bird. 



This species is particularly fond of the berries of the 

 Solanum dulcamara. The nest is placed on, or near, the 

 ground, sometimes in a quickset hedge or low bush, and has 

 been found several times near Brighton, among ferns, on a 

 rockery J and in such a situation I was shown one in the 

 garden of Mr. Booth, on the Dyke road, on which the female 

 was sitting at the time. The nest was very similar to that 

 of the Yellow Bunting, and, like that species, this bird 

 assembles in flocks in the winter, sometimes, according to 

 Mr. Booth, as many as 50 or 60 being seen together. 



ORTOLAN. 



Emberiza hortulana. 



Of the occurrences of this bird in Sussex there are not many, 

 and it is a decidedly rare bird in England. It visits us 

 occasionally in summer only. It is common in Holland and 

 Flanders, and breeds there, forming a nest somewhat like 

 that of the Sky-Lark ; the note is said to be chirping and 

 monotonous. 



In the spring great numbers are, or used to be, imported 

 into England from Rotterdam for the table, so that it is far 



