58 YELLOW-HAMMER. 



EMBERIZA CITRINELLA— Yellow-hammer. 

 [ Yellcnv-bunting — Yarrell?\ 



I even love the Yellow-hammer's song. 

 When earliest birds begin to budge, his note, 

 Simple, reiterated, oft is heard 

 In leafless briar, or half-grown hedgerow tree ; 

 Nor is he silent until autumn's leaves 

 Fall fluttering round his head of golden hue. 



Grahame — Birds of Scotland. 



The Yellow-hammer, or Writing Lark, as schoolboys call it, 

 from the lines and blots of reddish purple which cover its eggs, is 

 a very common bird to be seen on every sunny hedgerow. The 

 cock bird is very handsome, and would be highly esteemed if it 

 were more rare. The Yellow-hammer is given to frequent the 

 same localities year after year, and may always be found about the 

 same hedges and fields. 



" In the deep silence of noon," says Mr. Evans, " when 

 scarcely a bird's voice is to be heard, and the songsters seem all 

 to be taking their rest, as the Yellow-hammer sits on the topmost 

 bough of the hedge, his peculiar note with its long plaintive 

 cadence still rings in our ears." 



Each bird, now day is at its height, 



Flies off on careless wing. 

 And in the depth of their delight 



They all forget to sing ! 

 My lowly note is left alone, 

 To break the stillness of the golden noon. 



Evans— Song's of the Birds. 



Its song consists simply of a single note eight or ten times 

 rapidly repeated, finishing with one long drawn out note, in a lower 

 key. Country people translate it thus : 



A little bit of bread and butter and no c-h-e-e-s-e. 



In Scotland the interpretation, according to Macgillivray, is 

 different, he giving it thus : 



Deil, deil, deil, deil, tak ye-e-e-e. 

 (i.e.., ye who would rob his nest.) 



It is a grain and seed eating bird, partially useful and partially 



