J 0*2 EMBERIZID^. 



advance, and, after one or two such manoeuvres, wheels 

 away with rapid flight uttering two or tliree short notes as 

 it passes over our head. In suniiiier, especially during the 

 hot afternoons of July, when most other birds have closed 

 their concert for the season, it loves to perch on the top of 

 a furze bush or other shrub, and repeat its simple song. 

 This consists of about a dozen short notes, rapidly repeated 

 and closed by a longer note, which I believe to be a musical 

 minor third below. Sometimes this last note is preceded 

 by another which is a third above. The effect is in some 

 measure plaintive, and gives the idea that the bird is 

 preferring a petition. In Devonshire it goes by the names 

 of " Little-bread-and-no-cheese," and "Gladdy." Of the 

 latter name I do not know the origin ; that of the former 

 is clear enough ; for if the words " A little bit of bread 

 and no cheese" be chanted rapidly in one note, descending 

 at the word " cheese," the performance, both in matter and 

 style, will bear a close resemblance to the bird's song. It 

 lias been noticed that the song of the Yellow Hammer may 

 always be heard about three o'clock m the afternoon. 



In winter. Yellow Hammers assemble in large flocks, often 

 mixed with other hard-billed birds, and resort to ploughed 

 fields, or rick-yards. Macgillivray describes with singular 

 accuracy their movements on these occasions. " When the 

 ground is covered with snow, they congregate about houses, 

 and frequent corn-yards along with other birds, retiring to 

 the trees and hedges in the vicinity when alarmed. Their 

 flight is undulated, light, strong, and graceful, and they 

 alight abruptly, jerking out their tail-feathers. It is indeed 

 surprising to see with what velocity they descend at once 

 from a considerable height, to settle on the twigs of a tree 

 which had attracted their notice as they were flying over it, 

 and with what dextei-ity all the individuals of a flock perch 

 in their selected places." 



The nest and eggs of the Yellow Hammer resemble those 

 of the Common Bunting, but are smaller. The nest is 



