68 



EMBERIZID.E. 



first identified as identical with the Ortolan of the Con- 

 tinent by J. P. Selby, Esq. in his Illustrations of British 

 Ornithology. 



The entire length of the Ortolan Bunting is six inches 

 three lines. The wing measures from the carpus to the tip 

 three inches and a half, and has the first three feathers nearly 

 equal in length ; the tail is very slightly forked. The beak 

 measures four lines from the forehead, and the tarsi are about 

 seven lines high. 



The plumage of this Bunting is as follows : the head and 

 neck greyish olive ; the throat, eyestreak, and a line en- 

 circling the ear-coverts, yellow. The upper part of the breast 

 is tinged with olive, the rest of the under parts pale rufous 

 yellow, waved with pale grey. The back and scapulars are 

 chesnut brown, the centre of each feather dusky black ; the 

 coverts of the wings the same, fading to dull greyish-white at 

 the tips : the tertial feathers are dusky in the centre, and 

 broadly bordered with rufous. The quill-feathers of the 

 wings are dusky-grey with dull-yellowish edges : the tail 

 feathers are dusky with paler edges, and the outer feather has 

 a white oval spot on the inner web. The legs and beak are 

 brownish flesh colour. 



The female, according to Bechstein, has the head and neck 

 of a changeable ash colour, streaked with fine black lines : the 

 rest of the body is lighter in colour than in the male. 



The young birds have the throat and under parts mottled 

 with grey. 



The egg figured 108 is that of the Ortolan Bunting. 



