THE YELLOW BUNTING (OR YELLOW HAMMER) 107 



roads and squares of the villages are literally covered with these 

 birds. Macgillivray informs us that it is more abundant in the 

 outer Hebrides than in any other part of the country he has visited ; 

 and that it is there generally known by the name of Sparrow. In 

 England it is a constant resident ; but as it is much more abundant 

 in autumn and winter than in summer, it probably receives acces- 

 sions to its numbers from the north. From its habit of congre- 

 gating in large flocks in the winter and alighting on arable land to 

 feed, after the manner of the Skylark, it is sometimes called ' Lark 

 Bunting ', and, from its favourite food, ' Corn Bunting '. It builds 

 its nest in a tuft of grass, often under the shelter of briers or a 

 low bush, constructing it of dry grass with a lining of hair. Its 

 song, which is harsh and unmelodious, consists of a number of 

 short repetitions of the same note, terminating with a long one 

 lower in tone, and is generally uttered by the bird perched the 

 while on some slight elevation, such as a stone or the topmost twig 

 of a furze-bush. On first rising, it allows its legs to drop as if 

 broken. 



THE YELLOW BUNTING (OR YELLOW HAMMER) 



EMBERIZA CITRINELLA 



Head, neck, breast, and lower parts bright yellow, more or less streaked with 

 dusky ; flanks streaked with brownish red ; upper parts reddish brown 

 spotted with dusky. Female — the yellow parts less vivid, and spotted 

 with dull reddish brown. Length six inches and a quarter. Eggs pur- 

 plish or yellowish white, speckled and lined with dark purple brown. 



This familiar and pretty bird appears to be generally diffused 

 throughout all parts of the country, except the mountains. With 

 its bright yellow head and breast it can scarcely fail to attract 

 the attention of those even who are least observant of birds, and 

 being by no means shy it will allow itself to be examined from a 

 short distance. It may often be detected by its bright yellow 

 plumage among the leaves of a hedge, neither fluttering nor hunting 

 for food, but apparently waiting to be admired. As we approach 

 within a few yards it darts out into the lane with rapid flight, 

 displaying the white feathers of its tail, with tawny tail-coverts, 

 perches on another twig some fifty yards in advance, and, after 

 one or two such manoeuvres, wheels away with rapid flight uttering 

 two or three short notes as it passes over our head. In summer, 

 especially during the hot afternoons of July, when most other birds 

 have closed their concert for the season, it loves to perch on the 

 top of a furze bush or other shrub, and repeat its simple song. 

 This consists of about a dozen short notes, rapidly repeated and 

 closed by a longer note, which I believe to be a musical minor 

 third below. Sometimes this last note is preceded by another 



