blaze of gold on his black wings, which are further marked with 
white spots, as also is his tail, make him the most gorgeous of our 
native finches. The bullfinch, again, is easy to distinguish ; 
though from his habit of haunting thickets and dense hedgerows, 
he is seldom seen. In flight you may know him by his white rump, 
rosy breast, and black head. But his mate is more soberly clad : 
though her black head and white rump, will suffice to make sure of 
her when, by good fortune, she is encountered. 
One of the commonest of what we may call “ road-side ” 
birds, is the yellow-hammer ; which can be recognized at once 
by the bright yellow colour of its head. As soon as it takes to 
flight the white feathers in the tail, and the chestnut rump will 
make assurance doubly sure. But in some parts of England 
one meets with another, and similar species—the cirl bunting. 
In this species, however, the male has a black throat and ear- 
coverts, and an olive-grey chest-band ; while the female, lacking 
these distinctive marks, may be recognized by a brown, instead of 
a chestnut rump. When in the neighbourhood of swampy | 
places and reed-beds, a look-out must be kept for the reed-bunting. 
A small bird with a black head and throat, and white collar, 
this is the male. The female will display a brown head, buff 
throat and eye-brow, and white outer tail feathers. In the 
winter time, near the sea, one may frequently come across 
the snow-bunting, which, on the wing, will at once attract 
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