217 



rocky uneven ground, where there are bushes or low trees, and especially where Euphorbia- 

 bushes are scattered about. Dr. Finsch met with it in desolate rocky gorges in the mountains, 

 where it was generally seen amongst the stones and tangled vegetation. 



I find no information on record respecting its note ; but its nest was found in Persia by 

 Mr. Blanford, who writes (E. Pers. ii. p. 259) as follows : — " I took the nest and eggs of 

 U. huttoni on May the 22nd. The spot was a hillside covered with low bushes, which at this 

 season were tolerably green, close to the caravanserai of Khan-i-surkh, about seventy miles 

 south-west of Karman, at an elevation of 8000 feet above the sea. I was walking up the hill 

 amongst the bushes, which grew in close round tufts, so compact that had they not been covered 

 with thorns they would have formed excellent cushions, when a bird, which I at once recognized 

 as Hutton's Bunting, flew out of a bush close to me. Lifting up the upper branches, I saw a 

 neat nest about a foot from the ground. The nest appears to have been lost; to the best of my 

 recollection it Avas of moss, very neatly and compactly made. It contained three eggs, well 

 incubated, which I have preserved. They are very pale green in colour, with small distinct 

 rounded surface-spots and minute dots of purplish black, and fainter purplish-grey markings, 

 the latter being chiefly confined to the larger end. The eggs measure 0'9 by 0'65 inch. I should 

 add that I shot and preserved the hen bird to guard against error in identification. It will be 

 seen that in the locality for the nest, and the character of the eggs, this species differs consi- 

 derably from the Ortolan, which lays four or five ashy-grey eggs in a nest on the ground. The 

 markings, however, appear similar. The eggs of E. huttoni appear rather larger than those of 

 the Ortolan." 



The specimens figured are the male and female above described, and are in my own 

 collection. 



In the preparation of the above article I have examined, besides the series in the British 

 Museum, the following specimens: — 



E Mus. H. E. Dresser. 



a,8,b, ?. Mogoltau, Ferghana, June 9th (Severtzoff). c, <S . Tauschkau-Darja, Dzungaria, June 1889 

 (Pevtzoff). 



