C ]l ETZSCl I M A K ll’s ]{ U N r I XG . 
more' fertile districts of Talestinc. I’erclied on the topmost 
bough of a shrub or tree, it continues its monotonous 
song through the day, and is to be seen on almost 
every bush. In its habits and actions it is very dif- 
ferent from its Algerian congener, Emheriza Saharce, 
which it so nearly resembles in form and plumage, 
avoiding buildings, and not, as hir as I am aware, 
perching on stones or walls. Its nest is placed near 
the ground, in a low bush.” 
As there is a considerable difference in the above 
two descriptions, I wrote to Mr. Tristram, who oblig- 
ingly forwarded me the following explanation: — “I can 
only account for the discrepancy in the two histories, 
by the difference in the time of year. I was only in 
the Morea in winter, and in the north of Greece late 
in the spring, and I did not observe E. ccesia, so far 
as I recollect; but neither did I notice it in Palestine 
in the corn-fields, where we saw the Ortolan consorting 
with the Common Bunting and the Larks, but in the 
hill country of Judaea. It abounds in the olive-clad 
valleys and ravines to the west of Jerusalem, and I 
was struck by its habit of always perching on the 
bushes and shrubs, both on the uncultivated hills and 
about gardens. Probably when Count Miihle saw them 
they had not paired; when I fell in Avith them they 
were building. E. ccesia is, I should say, the commonest 
Bunting in Palestine.” 
Professor Blasius, of BrunsAvick, in a private letter 
to me, places E. ccesia as a variety of E. hortulanus. 
The adult male in breeding plumage has the top of 
the head and a broad collar round the neck bluish 
grey ; all the upper parts from the nape varied Avith 
dark brown and russet; throat, chest, and abdomen 
russet; primaries and tail feathers dark brown, bordered 
