[Illustration]
Emberiza Schoeniclus, LINNÆUS; L'Ortolan de Roscaux, BUFFON;
Rohrammer, BECHSTEIN.
This bird is nearly the size of the mountain sparrow, its length being
five inches three-quarters, of which the tail measures two and a half;
the beak, four lines in length, is black on the upper part, and whitish
on the under; the iris is dark brown; the legs, nine lines high, are
dark flesh-coloured. The head is black, with reddish spots; a reddish
white line extends from the base of the lower mandible quite round the
head; the back is black, spotted with white and red, the rump
alternately grey and reddish yellow; the throat is black spotted.
The feathers on the head of the male never return to as good a black
after moulting, when in the house, as in its wild state, but remain
always browner, and clouded with reddish white.
The head of the female is of a rusty brown, spotted with black; her
brown cheeks are encircled with a reddish white streak, which, passing
above the eyes, unites with another which commences at the base of the
beak; a dark streak passes down the sides of the throat, which, with the
under part of the body, is reddish white, much streaked on the breast
with light brown; the colour of the back is lighter, but less clear than
that of the male.
HABITATION.--In their wild state this species is found throughout
Europe and the north of Asia, flying in small flocks, and returning
in March in great flights. The females follow the males, and do not
remain behind, as some pretend. During winter some of these birds are
met with here and there amongst the yellowhammers; they frequent
moist places, the banks of ponds and rivers; they run nimbly up the
stalks of aquatic plants, but rarely ascend trees.
In the house it is the custom here to let them range a room; but they
may be kept in a cage.
FOOD.--When wild they feed on the seeds of rushes, bullrushes, reeds,
and grasses, as well as on the numerous insects that frequent the
water-side.
In the house they seem to relish the first universal paste and poppy
seeds, on which food they will live five or six years; but afterwards
they droop and die of atrophy or scurf, as I have remarked several
times.
BREEDING.--These birds make their nests among the reeds and brambles
on the water-side. They lay five or six eggs of a dusky light grey,
with dark grey spots and dusky lines rather indistinctly mingled.
MODE OF TAKING.--In autumn they enter the area or decoy with the
chaffinch; in spring, when there is snow, they approach the barns and
dunghills, and there, as well as in open places in the fields and on
the hedges, they are very easily taken with a net or bird-lime.
ATTRACTIVE QUALITIES.--Their song is alternately weak and strong.
Three or four simple tones, mingled from time to time with a sharp
_r_, distinguish it from every other; it is heard all the summer,
even during the night. Of all the buntings, this is the most easily
tamed; it is also a great amateur of music, approaching the
instrument without fear, as I have observed several times, not of
one only, but of many of these birds, testifying its joy by extending
its wings and tail like a fan, and shaking them so that, by this
exercise the feathers have been much injured. The female sings also,
but its tones are weaker than those of the male.