Birds by Land and Sea 



than the warbler class, most of which forsake us 

 during the hard season for sunnier climes, and only 

 return when the rigours of our own have begun to 

 abate. Such, however, is not the case. There would 

 appear to be a natural lethargy in the buntings, which 

 manifests itself not only in the sedentary habits of 

 these birds, but exerts its influence upon their nesting 

 habits also. Coupled with this, however, is a certain 

 persistency which may readjust the balance. If the 

 yellow-hammers and their fellow buntings are some- 

 what sluggish in beginning their nesting operations, 

 they often have eggs out as late as September ; and 

 if a large portion of their time is spent perching 

 inactively upon bush, tree, or telegraph wire, they 

 make some amends for the absence of motion by an 

 indefatigable persistency in song. On the principle 

 that where there is breeding there will be song, the 

 buntings sing on through the otherwise songless 

 period when other birds have retired for the moult, 

 and only retire to renew their own coats after the 

 latter have resumed their singing in the autumn. 

 Upon their return, the buntings follow on singing 

 during the late autumn, and, as mentioned elsewhere, 

 I have known a corn-bunting sing throughout the 

 winter. 



The yellow-hammer generally builds in a hedge- 

 bank. Not infrequently, however, the nest may be 

 found in a hedgerow, several feet from the ground, as 

 shown in the picture. This nest was somewhat 

 unusual in structure, for, having been built in a 



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