1 5 8 Bird-keep ing. 



montamis\ sometimes called the Mountain Sparrow, 

 is a handsomer bird than its relative, and has more of 

 a song. It is very different in its habits from the 

 House Sparrow, for it very seldom visits houses, and 

 builds in woods and trees by the side of streams ; 

 though it occasionally associates with the common 

 Sparrow, and will sometimes take possession of the 

 deserted nests of the Magpie, Crow, and Woodpecker. 

 It is a native of North Asia and America, and inhabits 

 most European countries. In the house it may be 

 treated as the House Sparrow, and may be tamed, 

 but it does not live long in confinement. 



The YELLOW AMMER or BUNTING (Emberiza citri- 

 nelld). This is a very handsome bird, but has no at- 

 tractions as a cage bird, and is rarely kept except in 

 an aviary or bird-room, where it is shy and awkward, 

 although very lively and active in its natural condition. 

 The females and young males have not much of the 

 beautiful golden yellow colouring of the male. It has 

 various provincial names Yellow Yeldrich, Yellow 

 Yowley, Yellow Yite, and Skite, and it is also called 

 sometimes the "Scribble Clerk" from the peculiar 

 tracings on its eggs, which are supposed to resemble 

 handwriting. These marks and veinings on the eggs 

 are a characteristic of the Bunting tribe : the common 

 Bunting is called the " Writing Clerk " in some coun- 

 ties. The Yellow Ammer is a common bird through- 

 out Europe and Northern Asia: it builds on the ground 



