PINE BUNTING.

Emberiza pithyornus, Pail.

Le Bruant a couronne lactée.

In size this rare Bunting rather exceeds the Yellow-hammer (mberiza citrinella, Linn.), which so frequently
attracts the notice of the passing traveller through the British Islands. Its true habitat would appear to be
the northern parts of Russia and Siberia, though, according to M. Temminck, it is frequently found as far
south as the centre of Turkey, and the shores of the Caspian Sea, Hungary, Bohemia, and Austria are
among the places of its resort. Dr. Latham states that it frequents the pine-forests of Siberia, and has the
note of the Reed Bunting. Although it has not the brilliant yellow colouring which pervades the plumage of
many of its tribe, the Hmberiza pithyornus is very pleasing to the eye, from the harmonious arrangements of its
rich but somewhat sober tints, in which respect, and in fact in its whole contour, it assimilates exceedingly
to the Bunting-like Finches of the New World, such as the Eméberiza leucophrys, Gm., (Zonotrichia leuco-
phrys, Sw.); and in all probability, when the vast countries of Siberia, Kamtschatka, &c. have been more
thoroughly investigated, that species, intermediate in form, will be found to complete this chain of affinities.

The sexes of the Pine Bunting may be distinguished from each other by the more obscure colouring of the
female, and the total absence of the gorget and superciliary stripe of chestnut with which the male is
adorned.

The plumage of the male is as follows :

A stripe of white passes along the top of the head to the occiput; on each side of this white stripe is
another of black, and this is again succeeded by one of chestnut immediately over the eye; ear-coverts white ;
throat rich chestnut ; below this is a half band of white succeeded by a broad band of dusky greyish chestnut
across the chest; whole of the back, wings, and flanks rich brown, each feather being darkest in the centre ;
rump and upper tail-coverts pale chestnut; tail brown, each feather edged with reddish brown, and the two
outer ones largely blotched with white ; centre of the breast, belly, and under tail-coverts white; legs and
bill yellowish brown.

The female is more obscure in all her markings; the ear-coverts are brown with a band of white beneath
them; superciliary mark yellow white; throat white surrounded with small dark spots.

The Plate represents a male and female of the natural size.