BUNTING. Several small North Ameri can birds of the large finch family are sometimes called buntings, though the name is perhaps better reserved for a genus of European birds between finches and starlings, such as the corn bunting, reed bunting, and ortolan. The ortolans are highly esteemed as a table delicacy and great numbers of them are taken in nets. Among the American birds called buntings are the snow bunting or snow bird, the dickcissel or black-throated bunting, the vesper sparrow or bay winged bunting, the indigo bird or indigo bunting, and the "lazuli," "painted," "varied," and "beautiful" buntings or finches. They all have plump stocky little bodies. (See Finch.)