THE YELLOW-HAMMER. 197 



long protracted, undulated, being formed by alternate beat- 

 ings and cessations, but heavier and more steady or direct 

 than that of the Yellow Bunting. When surprised in a field, 

 or roused from a corn- yard, they fly off with a direct, rapid 

 motion; but often when an individual, which has been 

 resting on a twig or wall-top, starts away, it allows its feet 

 to hang for a short time before it commences its bounding 

 flight. I believe there is no other bird of this order which 

 has this habit.' 



During the spring and summer this bird, which, on 

 account of the resemblance of its plumage to that of the 

 Skylark, is often called the Lark Bunting, may be frequently 

 seen perched on the upper branch of a tall hedge, or on the 

 top of a low tree, uttering its harsh, unmusical notes, re- 

 sembling the syllables chat or chit sharply and rapidly 

 uttered, and followed by a protracted one. This, although 

 most frequent during the breeding season, may be heard 

 occasionally at all seasons. 



In the autumn these birds become gregarious, and visit 

 the barn -yards in company with Chaffinches, Sparrows, &c., 

 for the sake of the grain to be obtained there. At this 

 time they have a very destructive habit, which is thus 

 mentioned by Knapp : * It can hardly be supposed that 

 this bird, not larger than a Lark, is capable of doing serious 

 injury ; yet I this morning witnessed a stack of barley, 

 standing in a detached field, entirely stripped of its thatch- 

 ing, which this Bunting effected by seizing the end of the 

 straw, and deliberately drawing it out to search for any 

 grain the ear might contain ; the base of the rick being 

 entirely surrounded by the straw, one end resting on the 

 ground and the other against the mow, as it slid down from 

 the summit, and regularly placed as if by the hand ; and 

 so completely was the thatching pulled off that the imme- 

 diate removal of the corn became necessary. The Sparrow 

 and other birds burrow into the stack and pilfer the corn ; 

 but the deliberate operation of unroofing the edifice appears 

 to be the habit of this Bunting alone.' 



THE YELLOW-HAMMER (Emberiza citrinelld). This fami- 

 liar bird is known by a great variety of local names, such a3 



