>74 B U N T I N G.
where reeds grow; between four of which it fattens the nett*,
two or three feet above the water. It is' Compofed of dry grafs-
ftallts, and lined within with the foft down of the reed : the eggs
are four or five in number, of a blueilh white, marked with irregular
purplilh veins, moft eonfpicuous at the large erid.
I have- now and then feen this bird in hedges on the high
roads; but its refort is for the moffi part near the water; and it
is moft likely that it feeds on the feeds of the reed, like the
Bearded Titmoufe y, as I have found the feeds in its ftomach.
They are fufficiently plenty; but I do not find that they form
themfelves into flocks of more than fix or eight together.
With- us they remain the whole year; but in fome parts of the
continent feem migratory. In the province of Lorrain numbers
are feen palling on their paffage to other parts, both in fpring
and autumn J, though fome few ftay there the whole year. The
extreme limits of their peregrination are between Sweden and
Italy.
In fpring the male fits perched on a reed, and has a pleafing
kind of warbling fong. It is frequently heard to ling in the
night, as well as day-time.
Variety. Buff on mentions a bird by the name of Coqueluche ||, which came
from Sibiria; but I do not find any thing in the defcription differing
from our Reed Sparrow, except that it has only a Ihort
* Not at equal dillances, but two and two on each fide, pretty near each
other, the reft of theneft hanging free.
t In Außria laid to be fond of millet. — “ Viäitat feminibus, prafertim
“ milio.” Kramer.
t Hiß. det oif. H Id. vol. iv. p. 3*o.
9 ftripe
B U N T I N G .
ftripe of white near the gape of the bill, inftead of pafling downwards
on eac.h fide of the neck, as in the laft-named bird.
I 9-
# V ar A.
J ^ E N G T H five inches and a half. Bill orange brown : head Description.
and neck dufky black : upper parts of the body brown :
wing coverts incline to alh-colour : prime quills dufky, edged
with cinereous ; feeondaries dufky, the outer webs brown : the
fix middle tail feathers dufky; the next on each fide the fame,
but white from -the bafe to within a little of the end on the inner
web; the two outer ones wholly white, except the end of the
outermoft, which is fringed with dufky near the tip : under parts
of the body pale r legs orange brown.
In Sir Jo/eph Banks’s colleftion, from the Cape of Good Hope. Place:
Le Gavotte de Provence, Suf. eif. iv. p. j a i .— !>/. ,„ l 656. 1. MUSTACHOE
B.
L E N G T H four inches and two thirds. Bill dufky: upper -n
parts not unlike our Reed Sparrow : through the eye a
ftreak of white, paffing on each fide of the neck: under the eye a
large patch of black : chin white : on each fide the throat, from
the under jaw, a ftreak of black: breaft, and fides, pale brown,
fpotted with black; the reft of the under parts white : acrofs the
middle of the wings a bar of white : quills and tail dufky, ed°ed
with rufous: legs pale brown.
Inhabits Provence ? feeds on grain : perches often. In April
is laid to fing agreeably. Is called there Chic-gavotte, and Chic-
moujtache.
Le