96 FEATHERED FRIENDS. 



that is, voluntarily, for it is imported in very consider- 

 able numbers to figure as an entremets on the table of 

 epicures. 



It is somewhat a difficult bird to describe, as it 

 presents no strong contrasts of colour. The head and 

 a band across the throat are greenish grey; the back 

 and tail, reddish brown; the throat, pale yellow, with 

 a shade of green; the lower breast and belly, rufous 

 fawn ; and the vent and under tail coverts, greyish white. 

 The beak and legs and feet are reddish brown. Other 

 Buntings, including even the ordinary Yellow-hammer, 

 are often caught with and sold for Ortolans. 



The female of my pair, which I fed on seed, bread- 

 and-milk and mealworms, got out of the cage one day 

 and Pew away, upon which I released the male, and he 

 also spread his wings and with a joyful cry disap- 

 peared across the Common to a little wood opposite, 

 where I hope he was joined by his partner and with 

 her succeeded in reaching their native land once more 

 but I doubt it. 



The scientific name is Embcriza hortulana. 



