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108 THE CIRL BUNTING Ya 
which isa third above. The effect is in some cidnante plaintive, and 
gives the idea that the bird is preferring a petition. In Devon- 
shire 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, chee-ese’, the performance, both in matter and style, 
will bear a close resemblance to the bird’s song. It has been noticed 
that the song of the Yellow Hammer may always be heard about 
three o’clock in 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 dexterity 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 most frequently 
placed close to the ground, or actually on the ground, among grass 
on the skirt of a meadow. Yarrell suggested that the name 
‘Yellow Hammer’ should be written ‘ Yellow Ammer ’—the 
word Ammer being a well-known German term for Bunting. 
Collectors of eggs should carefully avoid cleaning the eggs of 
the Buntings, as the dark colouring matter with which they are 
blotched is easily rubbed off with a damp cloth. 
THE CIRL BUNTING 
EMBERIZA CIRLUS 
Crown dark olive, streaked with black ; gorget and band above and below the 
eye bright yellow ; throat, neck, and band across the eye, black ; breast 
olive-grey, bounded towards the sides by chestnut ; abdomen dull yellow ; 
back brownish red, with dusky spots. Female—the distinct patches of 
black and yellow wanting; the dusky spots on the back larger. Eggs 
greyish, marked with ash-coloured and black blotches and lines. 
Witn the exception of its black chin and throat, this bird closely 
resembles the Yellow Hammer. Its habits, too, are much the same, 
