366 BRITISH BIRDS' NESTS. 



YELLOW-HAMMER. Also YELLOW BUNTING. 



Description of Parent Birds. Length about seven 

 inches. Bill short, strong, and bluish horn colour, 

 tinged with brown. Irides dark brown. There are 

 a few short bristles round the base of the bill. Head 

 and nape yellow, tinged with green, and marked 

 on the crown with a few streaks of dusky black 

 and olive. Back bright reddish-brown, tinged with 

 yellowish-green. Wing-quills dusky, bordered with 

 greenish-yellow ; rump bright chestnut ; tail slightly 

 forked, dusky black, edged with greenish-yellow, 

 the two outer feathers being marked with white 

 spots. Throat, breast, belly, and under tail-coverts 

 bright 3 r ellow, the breast being sometimes marked 

 with reddish spots, and the sides streaked. Legs, 

 toes, and claws yellowish-brown. 



The female is a trifle smaller, and much duller 

 in her plumage. She is less yellow, and more thickly 

 marked with brown. Her teil is also lighter, and 

 has less white on the outsides. I have often been 

 struck by her close harmonisation with surrounding 

 objects when her nest is on the ground. Both sexes 

 are subject to variation. 



Situation and Locality. On or near the ground, 

 although specimens may sometimes be found at a 

 height of eight or ten feet. In hedgebanks, amongst 

 brambles, nettles, and coarse grass at the foot of 

 light open bushes. Our illustration is from a 

 photograph taken in Norfolk. On pieces of waste 

 land, commons, pastures, grass-fields, and arable 

 lands, in all suitable localities throughout the 

 United Kingdom. 



Materials. Dry grass, roots, and m ss, with an 



