XO BLACK-HEADED BUNTING. 



Of the European species different authors vary in 

 the number which they assign to that fauna. Temminck, 

 in the last edition of his "Manual," describes sixteen 

 species, which is the number also given by Schlegel. 

 Degland adopts this list, with the exception of one 

 addition, E. borealis. Bonaparte gives nineteen species, 

 in five different genera. On the whole I think the 

 list of Schlegel best represents the European members 

 of this genus. Of these, five, and both the species of 

 Plectrophanes , are found in the British Isles. 



The name "Black-headed Bunting" has been unfor- 

 tunately given by modern English authors to our 

 well-known bird the "Reed Bunting." As, however, 

 the subject of this notice can lay claim to a much 

 older title, and as I do not feel justified in creating 

 a new one, I hope English ornithologists will use the 

 name "Reed Bunting," first given, I believe, by Pen- 

 nant, to our British species. 



The Black-headed Bunting is an inhabitant of the 

 southern parts of Europe and Asia Minor. It inhabits 

 the Caucasus, and is very common in Georgia, about 

 Tiflis, and in Greece, and is not rare in Dalmatia, 

 where it has the name of Ortolan, though a very 

 different bird from that which bears this name in 

 Erance. It is common throughout the Levant, and is 

 sufficiently so, according to Temminck, in Istria, in the 

 neighbourhood of Trieste, in the bushes and slopes of 

 the hills, which border the Adriatic. It has been 

 occasionally, but accidentally found in Lombardy, 

 Provence, Saxony, and in Germany, in the neighbourhood 

 of Vienna. 



It sings very agreeably, preferring to perch on some 

 post in the open country. 



It nests upon shrubs, particularly, according to 



