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THE YELLOW HAMMER. 

 (Emberiza citrinella.) 



THIS is a pretty, cheerful, friendly bird, that lives in 

 gardens, thickets, or the outer part of the woods. Its 

 chief distinguishing characteristic is that it loves to 

 associate with otHer kinds of birds, especially the Field- 

 fares, with which it is most intimate. During the 

 brooding time and before the seeds are ripe it lives 

 chiefly on grubs and insects, being particularly fond of 

 the smooth caterpillars, which the other birds do not 

 much relish. It also likes seeds, and rather the floury 

 than the oily ones. In winter it flies about the fields 

 with other birds, and destroys the seed of the runners, 

 and the weeds that shoot up through the snow and is 

 thus doubly of use to the farmer. 



In a severe winter it comes with other feathered visitors 

 into the inhabited districts. At the weekly market it 

 appears with Finches, Crested Larks, and Sparrows, 

 and picks up the oats and other grain which are lying 

 about, showing little timidity in doing so. It has a 

 dipping flight. It enlivens the country-side in spring 

 and summer with its song. 



It is very numerous with us in Hungary. 



This bird is resident and common in most parts of 

 Great Britain. From morning till evening it sings 

 the same song all through the spring and summer; 

 it has been transcribed as " Little bit of bread and no 

 che-eese." The form and hardness of its bill, proclaims 

 the bird to be a grain eater, and of course it will pick 

 up a great deal of corn, where it is to be found, yet both 



