EMBERIZA CANICEPS, Gould. 



Grey-capped Bunting*. 



Emberiza cankers, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc. 1853. 



In the collection transmitted to Andrew Murray, Esq., of Aberdeen, by his brother Dr. John Murray, are 

 several examples of this conspicuously marked species of Emberiza, which, I believe, were collected in the 

 neighbourhood of Agra; my own collection also contains examples of both sexes sent direct from Afghan- 

 istan. I do not, however strange it may appear, find specimens in any of our public museums, neither 

 have I succeeded in discovering that it has been named or described, or any account recorded of its habits, 

 in either of the numerous journals or other publications on Indian birds y Lord Arthur Hay, who has also seen 

 specimens from Afghanistan* is not aware that it has received a specific appellation. I am therefore induced 

 to regard it as new, and to figure it as such under the name of Emberiza camceps -; it is a somewhat smaller 

 and more delicately formed bird than the E. citrinella or the E. cirlws, to which section of the Buntings I 

 consider it to belong. The sexes offer the usual difference in" colour, the female being destitute of the rich 

 markings which form so conspicuous a feature in the opposite sex. 



I at first thought it likely that this bird might be the Emberiza albiau of Mr. Blyth, but in his remarks on 

 that species he does not allude to any black mark on the throat, and the admeasurements given appear to 

 have reference to a much larger bird than the one here represented. 



The male has the forehead and crown greyish white \ lores and a broad line passing over the eye to the 

 nape and the throat black - r cheeks and ear-coverts white - r back, scapularies, rump and upper tail-coverts 

 deep reddish chestnut ; wing-coverts dark brown, edged with buffy brown ; wings brown, narrowly edged 

 with greyish white; central tail-feathers blackish brown, the two outer ones on each side blackish brown 

 at the base,, and white for the remainder of their length* with the exception of the outer web, which is 

 brown ; under surface creamy white, crossed on the chest by a broad band of lively chestnut-red ; bill ands 

 feet fleshy brown. 



The female has the whole upper surface* wings and tail pale olive-brown, with a streak of dark brown 

 down the centre of each feather ; a slight wash of rufous on the upper tail-coverts ; throat and flanks pale 

 buffy brown, streaked with dark brown. 



The figures represent the two sexes of the si^e of life 



