220 



The House-Bunting has a somewhat restricted range, being found only in North Africa from 

 Tunis to Morocco. 



Mr. Alessi (J. f. O. 1892, p. 316) obtained it between Nefzeona and El Djerid, Tunis, which 

 is the only record I find of its occurrence so far east in North Africa. 



In Algeria both this species and Emberiza striolata occur — the present species in the 

 far south, and E. striolata in the north. Dr. Sharpe (I. c.) states that this latter species does 

 not occur further west than Arabia ; but I have before me an undoubted specimen from the 

 collection of Canon Tristram, obtained by that gentleman at Berrouaghina, in Algeria, on the 

 2nd December, 1856. 



E. saharce appears to be common in Southern Algeria, from which locality it was first 

 described by Levaillant, Jun., and Loche, and later travellers all speak of having met with it 

 there. Mr. J. H. Gurney, Jun., remarks on its abundance at Gardaia and other Mzab cities; 

 and Messrs. Elwes and Dixon state (Ibis, 1882, p. 573) that in the Province of Constantine they 

 did not meet with it until they reached the oases of El Kantara and Biskra. In Morocco it 

 appears to be common, especially in the city of Morocco, but I do not find it recorded from 

 the northern portions of that country. 



In its habits the present species is extremely tame and confiding. Messrs. Elwes and Dixon 

 (I. c.) say that it is was certainly one of the tamest birds they ever met with ; they repeatedly 

 saw them enter the Arab houses, and were in fact so tame that Capt. Elwes endeavoured to catch 

 them in his butterfly-net. Messrs. Hooker and Ball, who met with this Bunting in the city of 

 Morocco, say, in their ' Journal of a Tour in Morocco' : " During our meals, which were always 

 taken in the central saloon, open to the sky, these birds would boldly alight beside us, and pick up 

 the crumbs that were sometimes purposely scattered for their benefit." Mr. Stutfield, also referring 

 to the extreme tameness of this bird, writes ('El Maghreb: 1200 miles' ride through Marocco,' 

 p. 253) : — " One very pleasing feature in Morocco is the tameness of all wild creatures. At 

 Kaid Maclean's dinner-table there were always a number of little birds hopping about on the 

 cloth, which at first we thought were pets of the family, till we were told that they were the 

 Sparrows of the city. They picked up the crumbs under your very nose, and boldly perched 

 on the bread and the edge of one's wine-glass, a familiarity which at times I found had its 

 disadvantages. They are held sacred, and being thus preserved from injury are perfectly fearless 

 and domesticated. This bird, which is called tabib (doctor), is quite different from the European 

 Sparrow, being of a red-brown colour with pretty markings, about the same size, but of a less stout 

 build. When I woke of a morning there were often two or three of these little fellows on my 

 pillow, and others perched on the end of the bed." Mr. J. H. Gurney, Jun., also remarks (Ibis, 

 1871, p. 292) that "they are as tame as Robins. Frequently one would hop on our carpet, to 

 search for fragments of couscous, scrutinizing us within a few feet with his dark brown trustful 

 eye. They are nearly omnivorous. I caught one in a trap baited with grain, and saw another 

 nibbling green carrot-leaf; and once the female, at Berryan, made her appearance with a large 

 fly, which was not swallowed without a great effort and after much mastication. They used to 

 drink out of our goatskin, fluttering and clinging to the wall for the moisture which had oozed 

 through. Half circles of accumulated droppings under the rafters showed where they roosted. 

 For a few seconds before settling down for the night I used to see them hovering perpendicularly, 



