A HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTONSHIRE 



called common, though not uncommon any- 

 where. I have always found it most abun- 

 dant in the maritime parts of Britain. It is 

 a late breeder, having but one brood generally, 

 the eggs being laid at the end of May. As 

 it nests in rough grass, but often in the middle 

 of clover or cornfields, the nest, owing to the 

 then state of vegetation, is not as often seen 

 as that of some other birds which are much 

 rarer. Its numbers in Britain are augmented 

 during the winter by immigration from the 

 continent. 



66. Yellow Hammer. Emberiza citrinellay 



Linn. 

 Locally, Writing-Lark. 

 A common resident. Its local name is de- 

 rived from the scribbling marks on its eggs. 

 It breeds during the last fortnight in April, 

 and again later, nesting in thick herbage under 

 a bush or hedge on the ground or a little 

 above it. Crosses the Channel on migration. 



67. Cirl Bunting. Emberiza cirlus, Linn. 



A resident, or irregular resident, in small 

 numbers, but more common, I suspect, than 

 is generally realized, being a good deal like 

 the yellow hammer in appearance and note. 

 Only one specimen appears to have been 

 actually obtained in our county, but I have 

 very strong reason to believe that it has bred 

 at Thorney, which is close to our boundaries. 

 A bird that wants attention throughout our 

 county. 



68. Reed-Bunting. Emberiza schaeniclus, Linn. 

 Locally, Reed-Sparrow. 



Usually called ' black-headed bunting,' 

 which name belongs to a different bird alto- 

 gether. A pretty common resident by water- 

 sides, nesting in April on the ground in thick 

 vegetation, and raising two, sometimes three, 

 broods in the season. 



69. Snow-Bunting. Plectrophenax nivalis 



(Linn.). 

 This bird, though a regular winter visitor 

 to our east coasts, seldom goes far inland 

 except in the northern counties. It only 

 seems to have been obtained in Northampton- 

 shire on two occasions {seeLilford, i. 169-172). 

 It breeds in small numbers in the extreme 

 north of Scotland, and abundantly in Iceland 

 and arctic Europe. 



70. Starling. Sturnus vulgaris, Linn. 

 Locally, Starnel. 



A very abundant resident, and one that 

 deserves every encouragement and protection, 

 as it does an immensity of good without any 

 harm whatever, unless enlarging a hole in a 



thatched roof, already made by a sparrow, 

 counts for harm. The starling migrates to 

 and from the continent. Whether it is 

 double-brooded or not is a point on which 

 opinions differ ; I have no doubt that it often 

 rears two broods in the season. 



71. Rose-coloured Starling. Pastor roseus 



(Linn.). 

 An irregular and rare visitor to England 

 and western Europe, Asia being its home. It 

 has once been obtained in Northants, by 

 Colonel Cottingham, at Weedon, on Septem- 

 ber loth, 1888. It is usually seen in late 

 summer and autumn, and generally associates 

 with flocks of starlings. 



72. Jay. Garrulus glandarius (Linn.). 



A fairly common resident, but is much 

 persecuted by game preservers, and, I am con- 

 vinced, unjustly. It is seldom seen hunting 

 on the ground, and I have never fairly con- 

 victed it of touching any game-bird's eggs. 

 On the contrary, it is a useful check on the 

 wood -pigeon. It is of course confined to 

 wooded districts, where it breeds in tall bushes 

 in April, and is single-brooded, as, I believe, 

 all the Corvidie are. Numbers visit England 

 in winter from the continent. 



73. Magpie. Pica rustica (Scopoli). 



A resident, becoming rare owing to perse- 

 cution. It is undoubtedly injurious to game 

 eggs, but quite pays for the damage it does in 

 this direction by keeping the numbers of the 

 wood-pigeons and blackbirds down, and by the 

 destruction of snails and slugs as well as mice 

 and insects, which are its general food. The 

 magpie breeds early, often at the end of March, 

 in hedges or low trees, and is single-brooded. 



74. Jackdaw. Corvus monedula, Linn. 



A common resident, consorting usually with 

 rooks, breeding in holes in rocks or buildings, 

 in hollow or ivy-covered trees, in April. 

 Jackdaws cross the sea in autumn in large 

 numbers, returning in spring. I am of opinion 

 that the jackdaw does more harm to game 

 than the jay and the magpie together, especi- 

 ally to the young partridges. Though its 

 normal food consists of worms and insects, and 

 it is to that extent beneficial, the mischief it 

 does is so great that I should be inclined to 

 hand it over to the tender mercies of the 

 gamekeeper. 



75. Raven. Corvus corax, Linn. 



Once a fairly common resident in our 

 county, now, alas, a very rare occasional 

 visitor. Former breeding places are mentioned 

 in Lil/ord {i. 211-216). The famous ' Sankey' 



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