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NATURAL HISTORY. 



ladder, hoping to secure a few sparrows in the midst of 

 their meal. The nest of the House Sparrow is usually built 

 in holes of roofs. The eggs are speckled black and white, and 

 very variable. 



Sub-family c. JEmbcrizina. 



EMBEUIZA. 



Citrinella (Lat. yellowish), the Yellow Bunting. 



The YELLOW HAMMER or YELLOW BUNTING is a very deli- 

 cately marked little bird, very common in our hedges, where 

 it flits before the traveller, always keeping about twenty yards 

 in front. It makes its nest on the ground, and lays five eggs 

 curiously scribbled over with dark chocolate lines, just as if a 

 child had been trying to write Arabic on the eggs. 



The ORTOLAN, a little bird in very great repute for the table, 

 is also an Emberiza. This bird is regularly fed like poultry, 

 in the South of Europe, and soon becomes exceedingly fat, 

 when a guinea is frequently the price of it. 



THE SKYLARK. 



The LARKS are known by their very long hind toe. The 

 Skylark, which pours forth its animated song while suspendeC 

 high in the air, is an inhabitant of most parts of Europe, Asia 

 and North Africa, but is not found in America. A very into 



