Birch. LVIL Vol. IV. No. 46. 



DIFFERENT KINDS OF BUNTINGS. 



Tli e 11 limerons race of Buntings contains 

 about eighty different, fpecies, fonie of which 

 especially in other countries are beautiful. 

 They all live upon feeds and infects. In Ger- 

 many 9 Species only are known, of which the 

 following are the moft remarkable. 



Fis:. 1. The Yellow Hammer. 



{Emberiza citrinella). 



The yellow Hammer or Bunting is known 

 every where , living in f Ummer in the gardens 

 and in winter near the villages and farms. 

 It is about the fize of a fp arrow and its yellow 

 plumage renders it a pretty bird. In fpring 

 it raifes its ch earful voice before all other 

 birds. 



Fig. 2. Tlie Grey Bunting. 



{Emberiza milliarid) 



The grey Bunting is the large ft fpecies. 

 Its dark brown feathers give it no pretty ap- 

 pearance. It lives lonely in the fields or on 

 he roads and is rather a lazy bird, for it very 

 often fits ftill upon a itone or a clod for fome 

 hours together. It builds its neft in the grafs 

 •under fome bufh. In Autumn it paffes into 

 warmer countries, but alio very often remains 

 in Germany and is frequently caught with the 

 yellow Hammers. Its fief h is verdatender and 

 well tafted. 



Fig. 5. The Reed-fparrow. 



{Emberiza S elioni dus). 



It is much lefs in fize than the procee- 

 ding fpecies. Its plumage is of a disagreable 

 brown and grey. It lives in flocks in the reed 

 banks of marfhes and feeds upon water -in- 

 fects and reed -feeds. It derives its name from 

 the refemblance it bears to a fparrow. It has 

 a [brill voice and makes very often a great 



noice in reedy marfhes especially when many 

 are collected together. In winter it paffes in- 

 to Italy but conies back again to build its neft 

 in fpring. Its llefh is very well tafted. 



Fig. 4. The Ortolan. 



{Emberiza hortulana). 



The Ortolan is not fo common in Ger- 

 many as it is in the fonili erri parts of Europe, 

 in Italy, Grece, and especially on the island 

 of Cyprus, where it is found in great abun- 

 dance living in the Millet - fields. It is re- 

 markable on account of the delicacy of its flefh 

 which is generally confici ered to be the belt 

 tafted of all the bird's flefh. In Italy and Cyprus 

 many thoufands are caught and lent in chests 

 and tubs into other countries where they are 

 fold at a high price. The Ortolan fometimes 

 eats itself in one day fo fat that it refembles 

 a lump of greafe. 



Fig. 5. The Girl Bunting. 



{Emberiza claeaihorax). 



This beautiful fpecies is more frequent in 

 the warmer pares of Europe for inftance in 

 Italy and France, than it is in Germany;; which 

 it alfo leaves very early in Autumn. It lives 

 on caterpillars and different feeds. Its flefh 

 is very well taftetl. ' 



Fig. 6. The Snow -Bunting. 



{Emberiza nivalis). 

 .The Sri ow - Bunting or Snow - Bird is ari 

 Inhabitant of the colder parts of Europe and 

 Afia, even as far as the Polar-regions, and only 

 ftrays into Germany as a bird of paffage in 

 very cold winters. Its fize and colour is equal 

 to that of the yellow hammer, and alfo it li- 

 ves on the fame no uri Ihm ent. On account of 

 its well tafted flefh it is very much fought af- 

 ter, and frequently fold for the Ortolan. 



