162 
BEAUTIFUL BIEDS. 
extricate tlie kernel or flirinaceous portion. The hill 
is conical in form, strong, hard, and sharp pointed, 
with the culmen nearly straight. The tomia, or edges 
of both mandibles, curved inwards ; the upper mandi- 
ble narrower and smaller than the under one, and its 
roof furnished Avith a hard, bony, and projecting 
palatal knob. 
There are live British species of Bunting, namely, 
the Snow-Bunting (^Plectrophanes nivalis) ; Common 
Bunting (JEniberiza miliaria) ; Yellow Bunting 
(JEniberiza citrinella) ; Beed Bunting {^Emheriza 
schovniculus) ; Cirl Bunting {Emheriza cirlus) ; and 
the Ortolan Bunting (Eniberiza liortidana) , which is 
an occasional visitant. 
All these live chiefly upon seeds, of which they 
consum,e a vast quantity, seeking them upon the 
plants which produce them, or on the ground ; but 
they also eat insects. ‘ 
The bill of the Lark Bunting {Plectroplianes) is 
comparatively shorter, and the palatal knob less 
developed, than in the true Bunting. The Avings are 
better calculated for extensive flight, being long and 
acuminate, and having the first quill feather the 
longest instead of the third. The hind claw is long, 
and nearly straight, as in the Larks ; and the feet are 
adapted for running upon the ground, and not for 
perching. They are natives of the Arctic regions, 
and are driven southward only by the severity of the 
winter in those latitudes. One species, the Snow 
Bunting {JBlectroplianes nivalis), appears annually to 
visit the northern portion of this island. In Northum- 
berland, Mr. Selby observes, it rarely happens that 
