308 BUNTING. 



coloured spots and veins, much resembling those of the Chaffinch, 

 most at the larger end. I have now and then seen this bird in the 

 hedges, on the high roads, but the chief resort is near the water; and 

 that it, among other things, feeds on the seeds of the reed is clear, 

 as I have found them in the stomach. They are sufficiently plenty, 

 but do not congregate into large flocks ; as rarely more than six or 

 eight have been observed together. By some means this species has 

 the repute of being a good songster,* but later observations prove, 

 that it is not deserving of that name, as it has only two notes, the 

 first repeated three or four times, the last single and more sharp; and 

 this inharmonious tune it continues to deliver, with small intervals, 

 from the same spray, for a great while together, when the female is 

 setting.t With us it remains the whole year ; but in some parts of 

 the continent seems to be migratory : in the province of Lorrain 

 numbers are seen, when on their passage to other parts, in spring 

 and autumn,J though some few stay there the whole year. The 

 extreme limits of their peregrination are between Sweden and Italy. 

 Is not uncommon in the South of Russia and Siberia. 



Var. A.— Gen. St/n. iii. 175. 9. A. 



This has the head and neck dusky black; plumage above brown, 

 inclining to ash-colour on the wing-coverts; prime quills dusky, 

 edged with cinereous ; secondaries dusky, the outer webs brown ; the 

 two middle tail feathers dusky, the next, on each side, the same, but 

 white from the base to within a little of the end of the inner web ; the 

 two outer white, except the end of the outermost, which is fringed with 

 dusky near the tip ; beneath the body pale ; legs orange brown. 



Inhabits the Cape of Good Hope. — Sir Joseph Banks. 



* The Cock sings pleasantly, his notes much finer and more pleasing than those of any 

 other bird of the same family.— Bolton. f Montagu. + Hist. des. Ois. 



