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BIRDS OF LEICESTERSHIRE AND RUTLAND. 
YELLOW HAM]\IER.* Emberiza citrinella, LirmiEus. 
“Yellow Bunting,” “Writing-Lark,” “Goldfinch” about Tbringstone (see 
Appendix ‘Potter,’ p. 67). 
Resident and common in both counties. 
CIRI^BL^NTING. Emberiza cirlus, Linmeus. 
Rare. — Has occurred but once, on the authority of Harley, who, writing 
between 1840-55, said that he had met with it in company with the Yellow 
Bunting, in the lordship of Thurmaston. 
ORTOLAN-Bl^NTING. Embenza hm'tulana, Linnaeus. 
A rare winter visitant. — I insert this on the authority of the late ]Mr. R. 
Widdowson, who knew of two “ killed with Larks ; both young ” (presumably near 
Melton IMowbray. 
REED-BUXTIXG.*f* Emberiza schceniclus, Linnaeus. 
“ Black-cap ” (‘ Leicestershire Proverbs ’), “ Reed-Sparrow.” 
Resident, and generally distributed ; much scarcer, however, in winter than 
in spring, when accessions to the residents arrive. 
I have found it breeding in the Castle reed-bed, Leicester, as well as at 
Aylestone, and have seen flights of immature birds at Saddington, Bosworth, etc. 
This bird occasionally breeds away from water : Mr. Davenport records a nest of 
five eggs, built in a spinney at Ashlands, 24th May, 1883 ; and, on 2nd June, 
1885, I had one brought to me, containing four eggs, from a roadside hedge at 
Aylestone. 
In Rutland. — Resident, and generally distributed, as in Leicestershire. — 
Mr. Horn says he found a nest, in June, 1887, on the banks of the river Eye, 
near Stoke Dry. 
SXOW-BUXTIXG. Flectrophanes nivalis (Linnaeus). 
“ Snow-Lark.” 
A rare winter visitant, not breeding in England, and rarely in parts of 
Scotland. — Mr. Babington wrote, in 1842 (Appendix ‘Potter,’ p. 67); — “A speci- 
men shot on the rocks near Whitwick four or five years ago, in the transition 
from the white to the tawny plumage.” INIr. J. S. Ellis tells me that, when 
living at Glenfield I^odge, he remembers a small party of four or five being 
seen there, probably about 1854 or 1855. Turner states that a large flock 
* ]\Iore correctly “ Yellow Ammer,” Amiuer meaning Bunting. Another instance in wliich 
we have introduced an erroneous H, in a cockneyfied manner, is to be found in the name of the 
“ Prince of Denmark,” which should really be ^vritten “ Amlet ” = Madman. 
t This bird is often called in error the “ Black-headed Bunting,” a term properly apphed 
to E. melanocephala, a doubtful British bird, which is ye/ioir-breasted, with a black head. 
