492 EMBERIZID^E. 



The eggs are of a pale purplish white colour, streaked, 

 or veined and speckled, with dark reddish brown : the 

 length ten lines and a half, by eight lines in breadth. The 

 male, whose song is heard in spring and summer, but par- 

 ticularly during warm sunny days in June, is remarkable 

 for his attentions to his female, taking his turn upon the 

 eggs during the period of incubation ; and Mr. N. Wood 

 mentions having heard him sing while thus engaged upon 

 the nest. The young are seldom able to fly before the 

 second week in June, but they are generally ready to 

 leave the nest within a fortnight after the time of being 

 hatched ; and if often visited before they are able to fly, 

 their fears induce them to quit their discovered retreat a 

 few days sooner. In winter they are gregarious, flocking 

 with Chaffinches, Greenfinches, and others, to visit the 

 farmers^ stack-yard, feeding on grain, seeds, and insects. 

 Sometimes the Yellow Buntings, like the Common Bunt- 

 ings, pass the night on the ground ; but in very cold wea- 

 ther they resort at roosting time to the shelter and tem- 

 perature aiforded by thick bushes and evergreen shrubs. 

 In Italy great quantities of this species are caught, with 

 the Ortolan Bunting, and fattened for the purposes of the 

 table ; as we in this country consume Wheatears in sum- 

 mer and autumn, and Larks in winter. 



Of the localities inhabited by the Yellow Bunting in 

 Britain, it may be sufficient to say that it is common and 

 indigenous to England, Wales, Ireland, and Scotland. It 

 is not included in the Fauna Orcadensis of the Rev. Mr. 

 Low, but Mr. Dunn, who has lately visited both Orkney 

 and Shetland more than once, says it is a visitor, though 

 a rare one, to both countries, but is only to be seen during 

 the winter season. It inhabits Denmark, Norway, and 

 Sweden, and is found over the European Continent from 



