E M B E R I Z A C l a im s
J . GvuLcL He IL C-JiLcIcter <L¿L. eb IxÜv.
Cirl Bunting*.
Emberiza cirlns, Linn. Syst. Nat., tom. i. p. 311.
eleathorax, Beclist. Naturg. Deutschl., tom. iiL p. 292.
Cirlus eleathorax, Kaup, Natiirl. Syst, p. 153.
T h e Cirl Bunting is far less generally distributed over England than the Yellowhammer; in Scotland if
has never, I believe, been seen, and Ireland appears to be equally devoid of its presence. It is by no
means scarce in Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and Hampshire, Sussex, Kent, and Surrey; but it is rarely
seen northward of Yorkshire. In the Isle of Wight it is nearly as numerous as its above-mentioned ally,
while in the neighbourhood of Chichester, Bogota. Worthing, and Brighton it may be regarded as a common
bird. It generally evinces a partiality for the vicinity of the coast; but many instances of its inhabiting the
interior of the country are on record. It has been frequently seen at Guildford and Godalmtng m Surrey;
and I have known it to be often shot at Alton in Hampshire, in company with other small birds, in the depth
of winter. My own observations lead me to believe that districts of a chalky character are those it
prefers ■ at the same time I have seen it in various parts of the valley of the Thames, and some of the
finest specimens in my collection were procured in the beautiful grounds of Formosa, near Maidenhead,
in Berkshire. j • *
The Rev. H. Harpur-Crewe has recorded, in the • Ibis' for 1885, that wlnle himself and h.s sisters were
walking on a rough hilly down in the parish of Drayton-Beauchamp, near Tring, m Hertfordshire, they
disturbed a Cirl'Bunting from her nest in a wild juniper bush, containing three eggs, and states he has
several times seen males in the same district, and twice had specimens brought to him from the adjoining
parish of Pitstonc: he is inclined to think it breeds near Tring regularly, and that it is far more common
than is. generally supposed.
Mr. Brodrick states that it is common about the haystacks at Ilfracombe in winter, and that it breeds in
' ' ’T n C h f b i t t dimmririon' 'and some purl, of its economy, the Cirl Bunting differs considerably from the
Yellowhammer. It is more shy and distrustful, and affects the uppermost branches of high trees rather
than those of less elevation; and thus, while the female is sitting over her eggs on the sloping bank of a
ditch, the male may be perched on a leafy twig near the top of an elm, where his presence will only become
known by his singular song, which is even less musical and more inwardly expressed than that of the Yellow-
hammer, which in some point» it much resembles. To convey an accurate representation of the songs or
natural notes of birds is simply impossible; for they strike the ear so differently that no two persons would
interpret them alike; how useless, then, would it be to attempt to describe the note of the C.ri Bunting, which
Mr. L i d says, is drawn out in a continuous sibilous strain, not unlike that of the Wood-Wren whim heard
at a short distance, and never ends with the high note which characterises that of the Yellow Bunting,
is auicker and more tremulous.” ' .
In many of the Bunting, much difference occurs in the plumage of the sexes, the males being cons
c io u s ly adorned, while the female, are very plainly coloured, and m some cases those of two ? | more
species are so much alike as to be scarcely distinguishable; but in the present instance the distinctive
features of the male are .trongl, marked and contrasted. A glance at the accompanying Plate will ready
this apparent tar more readily than the most minute description, however accurate; and if he reader- will
c m n Z the figure of the male bird with that of the same sex of the Yellowhammer, he will at once pc ceive
the points in which th e , differ. These specific distinction, are always of interest to the ornithologist
particularly if he take a general view of the science. He is pleased to see how varied are the marking of
he head, neck, and breast, the part, in which the greatest differences u su a lly occur; nor does lie « to
notice that the Buntings also exhibit a well-defined eh a ra c te r-a well-defined white mark on two or three of
their outer tail-feather., which is no. observable -he,, the bird is in a state of repute but of wine
transient view may be obtained while it is on the wing. These markings are alway. noted by the
Biologist, while they do not attract the attention of those who are regardless of the flight of a little bird,
which may be a Sparrow or anything else, for aught they care. „ ' .......... . u ----. i l
On the continent, as in England, the Cirl Bunting is less abundant ha„ the Yellou'i - , n * > £ £ £ £
fact. i. the difference in their numbers, that if a census of the two specie, could be taken I si j . t h e latte
would prove to be ten times as numerous as the former. In the south of E n r ^ p m n . t o »
- i t is more abundant than in the north. In confirmation of my assertion that tins spec.es is less common