shot near Worthing, in Sussex, and in 1859 another at Lo\vestoft, in Suffolk. On the continent it is most 
widely distril)uted— from the hot countries of Spain and Italy to Holland, Sweden, Finland, and Norway. 
During my visit to Norway in 1856, few birds came more frequently under my notice; sometimes it was 
seen by the roadside, at others it was perched on stone walls and among small shrubby trees, but mostly on 
the fences of gardens and fields : my attention was attracted to it by the conspicuous colouring of its head 
and the tameness of its disposition. In a note sent to me by H. E. Dresser, Esq., that gentleman says, “ The 
Ortolan breeds all over Finland ; yet its nest is not so often found as might be expected. It arrives at 
Uleaborg in the latter end ot May. I saw a good number on the 3rd of June, while walking along the 
banks of the Ija river; but it was too early to procure any eggs.” Speaking of the bird as seen in Savoy, 
M. Bailly states that it arrives in that country between the 15th and 20th of April, in small companies of 
four or six individuals, or in pairs, but that it is principally between the 25th and 30th of that month that it 
appears in great numbers. “As soon as they arrive they pair, and spread over the country, some resorting 
to the A'ineyards, oat-, and wheat-fields, others to places surrounded by hedges and copses, and others again 
to sandy or stony situations. These migratory flights are performed during serene and moonlight nights ; 
and it is then that we frequently hear their cry of thu, the, t/iiu, t/m, the, the last syllable of the three 
cries being ordinarily a little higher in tone than the others. They depart again at the end of August 
or September. The old birds are the first to leave, and are generally accompanied by the young' ones 
that have already moulted : the others migrate as soon as they have finished changing their feathers ; and 
these are often accompanied by one or two old birds, which usually fly at their head, as if to guide them. 
In the southern provinces, where they are very common, they are considered a great delicacy, and are 
fattened for the table in great numbers. For this purpose they are shut up in dark places, sometimes only 
lighted by the rays from a lantern, or In a cage covered over with silk, except the seed-drawer, to which 
light is admitted that they may see to feed. Millet seed, steeped for a moment in boiling water, is alone 
given to them. In these prisons the Ortolans, deprived of all exercise, and provided with an abundance of 
food, soon become covered with an amount of fat which would not fail to suffocate them, were they not 
killed in time to prevent it.” 
MJien compared with the birds forming the genus Emherim as now restricted, the bill of the Ortolan 
Bunting will be found to have a more prolonged and otherwise different form — a circumstance which has 
induced M. Cabaiiis to separate it into a distinct genus, Glycyspina, which, concurring with him in opinion, 
I have adopted. 
The nest, which seems to he iiiAariably placed in a slight hollow on the ground in fields of corn, is very 
similar to that of the Skylark, but is somewhat more compact ; it is formed of dry grass and small roots, 
lined with finer grasses and hairs. The eggs are from four to six In number, of a bluish white, speckled 
and spotted with black. 
The food consists of grain and A^arious seeds when ripened, to which insects are added in the early part 
of the season. 
As is the case with the other members of the family, much difference occurs in the colouring of the sexes, 
the male alone having the green head, Avhich has obtained for it the trivial name of Greenheaded Bunting. 
In summer the adult male has the head and cheeks of a greyish green ; the back reddish brown, each 
feather Avith a darker centre ; Avings brownish black; the primaries narroAvly edged, and the tertiaries and 
wing-coverts broadly margined, Avith reddish broAvn ; tail broAvnish black, the tAvo outer feathers on each 
side Avith a broad patch of white on their inner web, near the tip ; chin, throat, and upper })art of the 
breast yellowish green ; under surface reddish buff, lighter on the abdomen and under tail-coverts ; irides 
brown ; bill reddish broAvii ; legs, toes, and claws pale reddish-broAvn. 
The female has the head of a greyer tint and streaked AvIth dark broAvn, the breast streaked Avith dark 
brown, and her general colour not so rich as in the male. 
The Plate represents the two sexes, of the size of life, on a branch of the Barberry, Berheris vulgaris, Linn. 
