78 BIRDS OF LANCASHIRE. 



SO inconspicuous in plumage, its habit of uttering its 

 short warble from the top of some bush or stone wall 

 makes its presence very noticeable. 



YELLOW-HAMMER. 



Emberiza citrinella, Linnaeus. 



Local Names — Bessie, Goldfinch, Golden finch. Yellow 

 Ring, Yellow Uriii or Ytirinrj, Yellow Yoldrinr/. 



Resident and common, l)reeding numerously every- 

 where, except in the comparatively bare district about 

 Accrington and Bacup. In winter it is partially 

 migratory, and traverses the country in small flocks 

 in search of food. Mr. R. Standen says it is much 

 rarer than it used to be about Goosnargh, neither does 

 he see it in winter so often, and Mr. Hugh P. Hornby 

 makes the same remark as to the neighbourhood of St. 

 Michael's-on-Wyre ; but with these exceptions it appears 

 to be increasing its numbers. It begins its song very 

 early in the year, if encouraged by a day or two's fine 

 weather, and I have heard it warbling " a little bit o' 

 bread, no chee — se " before February was out. It lays 

 four or five eggs, often only three, the first fortnight in 

 May, and the long grass in hedge-bottoms is the 

 favourite situation for its nest. Mr. James Murton 

 reports {ZooL, 1871) his having found a nest with three 

 young nearly fledged on the 5th of September, an extra- 

 ordinarily late date. 



