158 



KEARTONS' NATURE PICTURES 



before the beginning of May, although 

 it is said to lay in April. They may be 



YELLOW HAMMER. 



met with frequently in July and some- 

 times as late as August and even Sep- 

 tember. 



The nest is generally situated near the 

 ground in long grass growing round the 

 foot of a small bush, in a bramble or at 

 the foot of a hedge, but may occasionally 

 be found in a thick evergreen, eight or 

 ten feet from the ground. It is con- 

 structed of dry grass, rootlets and moss, 

 with an inner lining of fine dead grass 

 and horse-hair. From three to six eggs 

 may be found in a clutch. They are 

 dingy white tinged with purple in the 

 ground colour, blotted, spotted and 

 scrawled with purplish brown, and under- 

 lying markings of purplish grey. 



The male is said to assist in the work 

 of incubation, and sometimes to beguile 

 the te-dium of his task whilst doing so 

 by singing. I have given the species a 

 good deal of attention in different parts 

 of the country, but have never known 

 him do either, although he. is very 

 assiduous in his attentions to the chicks 

 as soon as they have been hatched. 



