LARK BUNTING. 47 



passes over and beneath the eye ; the throat is white, slightly 

 tinged with rufous, and spotted with dusky, and a gorget of 

 dark brown spots passes from the base of the beak, and 

 spreads over the breast. The rest of the under parts are pale 

 rufous white, with dark shaft streaks upon the breast and 

 flanks. The beak is dusky above, and yellowish at the base 

 in summer. The legs and feet are yellowish-brown. In 

 autumn-plumage an olive tinge is apparent on the upper parts 

 of the body. 



In their plumage the two sexes are nearly alike, and very 

 little difference is to be observed between the old and young. 



The food of this species consists chiefly of grain and seeds 

 during the greater part of the year ; but in summer they feed 

 upon insects of various kinds, beetles, flies, &c. 



Two eggs of this species are given in the Plate, and 

 marked 99, and 99 var. 



