BRITISH BIRDS. 85 



a line of dark brown spots, breast also thickly spotted, 

 and flanks streaked ; bill brownish-yellow, darker on 

 culmen ; iris dark hazel ; tarsi brownish-yellow. Length 

 7*00. Female : identical. Young have a pronounced buff 

 tint below, and feathers of wings and mantle are much 

 margined with same. 



Generally but sparingly distributed, frequenting chiefly 

 arable land. Nest : among corn, meadow-grass or clover, 

 or in rank herbage on a bank ; composed of moss, roots 

 and grass, lined with finer grass. Eggs : 3 to 5 ; vinous- 

 white, heavily blotched and streaked with deep chocolate- 

 brown and faint purple ; size "95 by 70. Call note : a 

 loud clear clink, clink, uttered on the wing as well as 

 while perched. 



105. Emberiza eitrinella, Linn. YELLOW HAMMER. 



Hab. Europe, northward to lat. 70 in Norway ; also 

 Siberia, eastward to the Yenesei. 



Male : cap and sides of head pale yellow ; feathers of 

 mantle and lesser wing-coverts reddish-brown, with dusky 

 central streaks ; wing-quills dusky, edged with greenish- 

 yellow ; rump and upper tail-coverts light chestnut ; tail- 

 feathers dusky, two outer on each side having a large 

 patch of white on inner webs ; below pale yellow, suffused 

 with chestnut on breast and sides ; flanks and under tail- 

 coverts streaked with dark reddish-brown ; bill slate-brown 

 above, bluish below ; iris brown ; tarsi pale brown ; claws 

 darker. Length 6 '60. Female : yellow and chestnut tints 

 much less evident ; head, breast and sides streaked with 

 reddish-brown. 



Very common and resident ; chiefly, however, frequent- 

 ing arable land. Nest : near the ground in low bushes, 

 brambles, rank vegetation, etc., or even in the ground on 

 open downs. Eggs ; 3 to 5 ; varying in ground from 



