PERCHING BIRDS. 175 



head and breast, and the rich chestnut and brown 

 of the back. It is conspicuous almost everywhere, 

 in summer particularly, frequenting all hedges, 

 gardens, lanes and high-roads ; and were it less 

 common it would doubtless be much admired. 

 The abundance and beauty of these birds do not, 

 however, win them favour. Boys destroy their 

 nests for very wantonness, and in the northern 

 parts of the country, they were formerly regarded 

 with a sort of superstitious dislike. 



The yellow bunting is a bird of the cornfields ; 

 or at least of the richer parts of the country. It 

 is very attentive to its duties in rearing its 

 young ; the old birds sit alternately on the nest, 

 and when the brood are hatched, toil hard to supply 

 their wants. When winter comes, they resort to 

 more open places, and though they do not flock in 

 such numbers as larks, yet they collect in open 

 fields, near the copses and places they usually 

 frequent. Though they do not actually migrate, 

 they occasionally pass from the colder parts of the 

 country to the warmer. At these times, they 

 flock with chaffinches, greenfinches and others, 

 mingling readily and harmoniously with them. 

 At this season, they get very fat. In Italy, large 

 quantities of this and the common bunting are 

 caught and sold for the purposes of the table, 

 together with the ortolan bunting. 



