The Yellowhammer, or Yellow Bunting. 249 



which it seeks in the crevices of the "bark of trees, and 

 when thus engaged, clinging in every possible position 

 to the branches, it looks like a very diminutive blue 

 parrot. In winter the Titmouse visits our gardens and 

 orchards, where he is often seen picking the buds of fruit 

 trees to pieces ; but in doing this he inflicts little or no 

 injury upon the gardener, his object being the capture 

 of insects which would probably cause far more mischief 

 in the ensuing summer. The nest of the Titmouse is 

 built in the hole of a tree or wall ; the female lays usually 

 eight or ten eggs, and when sitting defends her nest with 

 great courage, pecking at the fingers of boys so vigorously 

 that in some parts of the country she is known by the 

 name of Billy Biter. The Long-tailed Tit is also a 

 common bird about hedges, orchards, and plantations. 

 He is an active lively little fellow, and resembles the 

 common Tit in his habits. 



THE YELLOWHAMMER, OK YELLOW 

 BUNTING. (Emberiza citrinetta.) 



THIS bird is somewhat larger than the sparrow. Its 

 head is of a greenish yellow, spotted with brown ; the 

 throat and belly are yellow ; the breast and sides, under 

 the wings, mingled with red. These birds build their 

 nests on the ground, near some bush, where the female lays 

 five or six eggs. The Yellowhammer may be sometimes 

 seen perched on the finger of some poor man or woman 

 in the streets of London, in a state of complete tameness ; 

 but this is the transitory effect of intoxication, and soon 

 after the bird is bought and brought home, it dies, over- 

 come by the power of the laudanum that has been given it. 

 This bird feeds on seeds and various sorts of insects, 



