EMEERIZA 353 



with a bluish tinge, somewhat sparingly marked with black spots 

 and small blotches, and a few almost obsolete pale shell-spots 

 or dots, the markings being chiefly at the larger end. In size it 

 measures 0*81 by O61. 



511. YELLOWHAMMER. 

 EMBERIZA CITRINELLA. 



Emberiza citrinella, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 309 (1766) ; Naum. iv. p. 234, 

 Taf. 102, figs. 1, 2 ; Hewitson, i. p. 188, pi. xlvii. fig. 2 (egg) j 

 Gould, B. of E. iii. pi. 173 ; id. B. of Gt. Brit. iii. pi. 22 ; Newton, 

 ii. p. 43 ; Dresser, iv. p. 171, pi. 209 ; Sharpe, Cat. B. Br. Mus. 

 xii. p. 515 ; Tacz. F. 0. Sib. 0. p. 561 ; Sannders, p. 209 ; Lilford, 

 iv. p. 26, pi. 14. 



Bruant jaitne, French : Cerillo, Span. ; Zigolo giallo, Ital. ; 

 Gfoldammer, German ; Gfeelgora, Dutch ; Gfulspurv, Dan. and 

 Norw. ; G-ulsparf, Swed. ; Keltasirkku, Finn. ; Obiknovennoi- 

 ovsyarika, Russ. 



ad. (England). Head and throat citron-yellow, the forehead, sides, 

 and back of crown striped with blackish ; mantle brown, striped with dark 

 brown, the scapulars rufous- tinged ; rump and upper tail-coverts bay, 

 tinged with fulvous ; wings and tail dark brown, with narrow, external 

 yellowish margins, the wing-coverts margined with cinnamon and dull 

 yellow, the two outer rectrices white on the terminal part of inner web ; 

 under parts citron-yellow, the upper breast and flanks mottled with 

 cinnamon, the latter striped with brown ; bill bluish ; legs pale brown ; 

 iris dark brown. Culrnen 0'45, wing 3'25, tail 275, tarsus 0*7 inch. Female 

 duller, the yellow on the plumage fainter, the upper parts darker-streaked, 

 the breast mottled with brown. In winter both sexes have the plumage 

 more dingy, owing to the fulvous margins to the plumage. 



Hctb. Central and Northern Europe, north into Lapland, 

 west to the Canaries ; east in Asia as far as Krasnoyarsk and 

 Turkestan ; in winter ranging as far south as North Africa. 



Frequents groves, gardens, and fields where there are hedge- 

 rows or bushes, and is a resident in most parts of Europe except 

 the high north, collecting in flocks in the autumn and ranging 

 about the fields, or frequenting farm-yards in search of food. 

 In the summer it feeds chiefly on insects, but in the autumn 

 and winter on wild berries, grain, and seeds. Its well known 

 simple but far from disagreeable song may be heard continually 

 during the spring and summer later almost than any other bird, 

 and even on fine, bright, winter days. Its nest is usually 

 placed near or on the ground, in a bush or hedgerow, and is 

 constructed of dry grass-stems, roots, moss, and occasionally fine 



A A 



