1 66 British Cage Birds. 



brown, the outer tail feathers being embellished with greyish 

 white spots. These birds somewhat resemble the Skylark in 

 appearance, but are larger. 



Habits and Breeding. — The Common Bunting is found 

 throughout Europe, and is indigenous to Great Britain. It 

 frequents pastures, cornfields and bye lanes, and is very 

 destructive to growing corn and ripening wheat. In summer 

 it keeps to the fields, but in winter visits rick- and farm- 

 yards in search of grain. It is very destructive to the 

 thatching of corn stacks, and frequently damages the stack 

 to a considerable extent, pulling out the straws in large 

 quantities, in expectation of finding some full ears of corn. 



Common Buntings build their nests at the bottom of small 

 bushes, or undergrowth, in a hedge side, or on a bank, 

 among tall grass. The structure is uncommonly large, and, 

 in consequence, easily found. It is composed of dried stalks 

 of grass and fine weeds, and is lined with hair. The hen 

 lays from four to five eggs, of a pale cinnamon grey colour, 

 marked and spotted with black and russet brown ; she 

 incubates fourteen days. 



Methods of Capture. — In the autumn and winter, these 

 birds may be taken with a decoy and limed twigs, with 

 the clap nets, or with a long piece of string, pegged down 

 at each end, with hair nooses fastened to it on each side, 

 and wheat or oats sprinkled freely beneath the snares. These 

 traps should be fixed in some place where the birds are 

 known to frequent. 



Food and Treatment. — In a wild state. Common Buntings 

 live on various kinds of insects, and are partial to cater- 

 pillars. When insects are not obtainable, they turn their 

 attention to wild seeds, and grain of various kinds., They 

 are particularly fond of wheat and oats. In confinement, 

 they may be fed on oats, canary and millet seed, or the 

 Compound recommended for soft-billed birds {vide pp. 189, 190). 

 The Common Bunting resembles the House Sparrow in this 

 respect — it is not very scrupulous in the choice of viands. 



Bearing the Young. — Take them when ten or twelve 

 days old, keep them warm, and feed with flesh meat of any 

 kind, minced very fine, and mixed with breadcrumbs, grated 

 small, and moistened with water ; feed every two hours. 

 They can also be reared the same as Linnets, on bread and 



