Ixas the rust-reel pluinage of tlie head in abundance, 
hut this is by degrees rubhed of.” 
Brehm, in Biideker’s work upon European eggs, 
says, ^‘Very little is known about the nidification of 
this bird. Its eggs, of which it lays five, arc very 
similar to those of the other Buntings. One variety is 
like that of the Snow Bunting. They are of a blue 
greenish ground, delicately marked with dark and 
reddish grey spots, mostly at the larger end. In form 
they are a loaigish oval, and the shell very soft and 
brittle.” 
This very beautifully-marked bird has the breeding 
plumage of the male as follows: — -Head, nape, and 
auditory regions deep black. The whole of the back, 
scapularies, and upper wing coverts rich dark russet, 
tinged with yellow; chin and all the inferior parts 
♦ bright citron yellow. Wings and tail brown; the 
primaries lightly edged with grey. Beak bluish grey; 
feet yellowish brown. 
The female, according to Temminck, has all the 
upper parts of a russet grey; the throat white; inferior 
parts reddish white; under tail coverts yellow; greater 
wing coverts and the first primaries bordered with 
reddish grey, having their centres black. 
]My figures of this bird and its egg are taken from 
specimens kindly sent me by Mr, Tristram. They are 
from Greece. The egg is from a nest of four taken 
by W. H. Simpson, Esq., at Missolonghi, January 3, 
1859. 
The bird has also been figured by Temminck in his 
Atlas; Boux, Ornith. Prov. ; Giildenstedt, Nov. Com.; 
Naumann, Naturg. Neue Ausg., pi. 101, f. 2 ; Gonld, 
Birds of Europe, pi. 172. Four figures of the egg 
are given in Biideker’s illustrations of European eggs. 
