270 Country Rambles. 



young cuckoos are both big and hungry. It is one 

 also of many which, if they think their young are in 

 danger, feign to be wounded, so as to draw attention 

 away from the nest. 



THE SKYLARK, OR LAVROCK (Alauda arvensis), ii., 93. 

 Common everywhere, building on the ground. The 

 male bird seems to collect the materials, while the 

 female employs herself in arranging them. Seldom 

 alighting upon either tree or bush, the lark, rather 

 singular to say, is, except when soaring, in its habits 

 almost wholly terrestrial. 



THE COMMON BUNTING (Emberiza mtliaria), ii., 97. 

 Not infrequent, singing, in a shrill note, in March, on 

 the tops of trees near cultivated fields. The nest is 

 built on the ground, near the sides of ditches. 



THE BLACK-HEADED BUNTING, OR BLACK-CAP (Emberiza 



schceniculus), ii., 98. 



Common about pit-sides and wide ditches. 

 THE YELLOW-AMMER (Emberiza citrinella ), ii., 90. 

 Common. The song, in March and April, is very 

 peculiar, and sounds like the words, "A little bit of 

 bread and no ch-e-e-se," the first part of the sentence 

 uttered rapidly, and the latter long drawn out. (This 

 name, often mis-written yellow-hammer, represents 

 the German goldammer, literally "yellow-bunting.") 



THE CHAFFINCH (Fringilla Calebs), ii., 102. 



Common. A very early harbinger of spring, in woods, 

 fields, and gardens, and very fond of orchards, 



