130 BIRDS OF THE WEST OF SCOTLAND. 



The Black-headed Bunting frequents the immediate neighbour- 

 hood of Glasgow, where I have observed an occasional pair in 

 spring. I have also seen it in mid-winter, flying alongside, and 

 perching on the hedgerows in the outskirts of the city. About 

 the end of April or beginning of May the male bird, which by 

 that time has assumed the full breeding plumage, and is some- 

 what striking i,n appearance, may be seen stationed at no great 

 distance from the nest, on some tall weed, hedge, or paling, utter- 

 ing his tuneless double note, which seldom fails to betray the 

 haunt of the pair. For many years past a very pleasing couple 

 have frequented a small curling pond near the site of the new 

 University. I can always calculate on seeing them there early in 

 May; and never, during their residence, do I miss the morning 

 salutation of the sprightly male as he turns round on his perch to 

 look at the passer-by. These birds seem to get safely off with their 

 brood each year, and sometimes return to rear a second family. 



There appears to be a large accession in winter to the numbers 

 of this bunting in the north of Scotland probably the migratory 

 flocks retiring from Norway and Sweden. These flocks mix 

 with those of the common bunting (E. miliaria), and are commonly 

 met with in the north of Aberdeenshire. From that county, my 

 friend Mr Thomas Ferguson has obtained numbers of specimens 

 (several of which are now before me) that were shot on the Kin- 

 mundy estate, near Peterhead, out of flights which could scarcely 

 have been composed of native birds. 



THE YELLOW BUNTING, OR YELLOW HAMMER. 



EMBERIZA CITRINELLA. 

 Buidheag bhealaidh. 



THE familiar 'Yellow Yite,' or ' Yeldrin,' as it is called in Scot- 

 land, is generally distributed in the western counties, being found 

 on nearly all the inner islands, as well as the Outer Hebrides. It 

 is one of the first spring songsters, although its music is of a weari- 

 some and somewhat monotonous quality, being delivered with a 

 lazy kind of drawl, which often strangely contrasts with the pert 

 and hurried performance of the chaffinch. Tannahill, in one of 

 his fine natural pictures, thus notices its dismal ditty: 



