YELLOW BUNTING. 135 



situated, he says " that it will then commence its 

 changeless and interminable chant." Perhaps the 

 fashionable bird-world may then be abroad, and our 

 little friend is desirous of calling attention to its powers 

 as an afternoon vocalist. 



The call-note of the Yellow Bunting somewhat 

 resembles the word "gick," and is one of the commonest 

 bird-sounds in winter, not only in the country, but 

 along the quays and in the streets of our cities, where 

 these birds may be seen in small flocks mingling with 

 Sparrows and Chaffinches, &c., in search of food. The 

 nest of the Yellow Bunting is most frequently found in 

 furze, but often on a bank or upon the ground ; it is 

 usually lined with hair, and in it the hen lays four or 

 five eggs of a purplish-white colour, with spots of a 

 dark reddish-brown. The name " Writing Lark " is 

 sometimes given to this bird, " from the hair-like 

 markings on the eggs, as if drawn by a pen." 



The Cirl Bunting, though tolerably plentiful in the 

 South of England, has not been obtained in Ireland. 

 Its song resembles that of the Yellow Hammer, with- 

 out the long concluding note. At Royat, in France, it 

 uttered a pretty note, like " say, say, see," the last note 

 a third higher than the two preceding. 



