THE YELLOW BUNTING. 185 



In revenge for the persecution which it received the Yellow 

 Hammer cursed its persecutors in its song, which was thus 

 interpreted — 



Deil, Deil, tak ye ; 



For me to big a bonny nest, 



An' you to take it frae me. 



Mr. Hardy writes that this bird was also popularly believed 

 to be difficult to shoot, and if shot the devil would take the 

 offender. 



I have not heard that the boys of the present day 

 believe in the folk-lore of their fathers with regard to this 

 bird. 



In winter the Yellow Hammer associates with flocks of 

 Chaffinches, Greenfinches, and other birds in our stubble 

 fields, to pick up seeds and shed corn. During severe 

 weather, when snow is on the ground, it may be seen in the 

 farm-yards, on the tops and under the eaves of stacks, and 

 about barn-doors and cattle-sheds, picking up what it can 

 get in the Way of food. In summer it lives chiefly upon 

 insects. 



The Yellow Hammer is a somewhat late breeder. The 

 nest, which is composed of dry grass with some moss, and 

 is lined with hair, is generally placed near the ground, under 

 the shelter of a bush or by the side of a hedge or ditch. I 

 have, however, seen it among strawberry plants, at the foot of 

 a garden wall at Paxton. It is a favourite nest with boys, 

 being easy to find, and is often the first bird's nest which 

 they discover. The eggs are four or five in number, dull 

 white, streaked and spotted with purplish brown. 



