176 BRITISH LAND BIRDS. 



It has been noticed, that many of our little birds 

 which get their living in company during the 

 winter days, divide into their several families 

 before they roost, and meet and associate again in 

 the morning ; on which occasions there is often a 

 sort of welcome at meeting, and farewell at part- 

 ing. They wheel about together, making the air 

 resound with their little wings ; and generally the 

 yellow-hammers, at parting from their companions 

 of the day, alight upon some tree or hedge, in 

 numbers, and chatter together before betaking 

 themselves to roost. What the song wants in 

 quality seems to be made up in quantity ; and 

 they will sit for hours repeating their chirps, 

 without even changing their position. 



The COMMON BUNTING, though not so handsome a 

 bird as the preceding, is larger, and, it should 

 seem, hardier. Like the yellow-hammer, it fre- 

 quents cornfields ; and in Scotland goes by the 

 name of the corn bunting. Its favourite grain is 

 millet, and in countries where it is eaten it is 

 fattened for the table with it. The cry (for it is 

 more a screech than a song) of the male is usually 

 uttered from the top of a lied^-e or bush ; rarely 

 from a tree. Sparrows, and other birds, will 

 burrow in a stack and pilfer the corn; but the 

 bunting appears to have a mischievous propensity 

 peculiar to himself. "I saw (says Mr. Knapj.) a 



