348 THE YELLOW BUNTING, OR YELLOW AMMER. 



" Early in the spring, a little before they leave us, they have a few remarkably sweet and 

 clear notes, generally in the morning a little after sunrise. About the twentieth of April they 

 disappear, and we see no more of them untU the beginning or second week of October, when 

 they again return, part to jjuss the winter with us, and part on their return farther south." 



The coloring of this butl is very graceful. The upper surface of the body and the lower 

 wing-coverts are rather a'greeably mottled with black, ashen-brown, bay, and clear ash, the 

 breast is ash, and the chin and under portions of the body are pure white. The head is striped 

 with black and white, and another white streak wliicli passes over the eye warms into orange- 

 yellow between the eye and the nostril. The female is easily distinguished by the lighter 

 breast, the drab wash upon the wliite, and the smaller size of the orange line on the head. The 

 legs are flesh-colored, and the bill has a bluish tinge. The total length of the White-throated 

 Sparrow is about six and a half inches. 



The Sharp-tailed Finch derives its popular and appropriate title from the peculiar 

 shape of its tail. 



It is an interesting little bird, remarkably swift of foot, and a very excellent climber of 

 reeds and rushes, two accomplishments which are very seldom combined in the same species. 

 The sea-shore is the favorite haunt of this bird, which seems to depend wholly upon the waves 

 for its subsistence. While feeding, it courses along the edge of the water with wonderfid 

 celerity, pecking here and there at the little fish and crustaceans which have been flung ashore 

 by the water, and would make good their escape were not they interrupted by the ready beak 

 of their destroyer. As it trips over the sands it has all the appearance of the sandpipers and 

 other shore-living birds, altliough its legs are shorter and its dimensions smaller. 



The low coral-covered islands that edge the Atlantic coast of America are the favored 

 resorts of the Sharp-taUed Finch, which seldom quits these places of safety, unless driven by 

 continuous and wild easterly gales, which drive the sea over the islands and render them 

 untenable for the time. The bird then flies over to the main land, but still remains close to the 

 sea, preferring to roost on the ground and run about after dark. On examining the stomach 

 of several of these birds, Wilson found that they contained fragments of shrimjjs, very small 

 moUusks, and broken limbs of small crabs, no other substances ever being found in their 

 interior. Owing to this diet, the flesh of this species is not at all fitted for the table, being 

 ranli and fishy. 



The crown of the head is olive-brown divided laterally with a streak of slaty-blue or light 

 ash. The head and sides of the face are marked with several streaks of white, one of which 

 becomes orange-yellow near the beak. The whole of the upper parts are brownish olive with a 

 perceptible blue wash, the chin and abdomen are pure white, the breast is ashen-gray streaked 

 liberally with buff, and the under tail-coverts are buff streaked with black. All the wing- 

 coverts are tipped with narrow white bands, and the wings are rather richly variegated vdth 

 yellow. The total length of this bird is rather more than six inches. 



The Buntings are known by their sharp conical bills, with the edges of the upi:»er mandi- 

 ble rounded and slightly turned inwards, and the knob on the palate. They are comnion in 

 most parts of the world, are gi-egarious daring the winter months, and in some cases become 

 so fat upon the autumn grain that they are considered great dainties. 



One of the most familiar of all these birds is the Yellow Bunting, or Yellow Ammer, 

 as it is often called. 



This lively bird frequents our fields and hedge-rows, and is remarkable for a curious mix- 

 ture of wariness and curiosity, the latter feeling impelling it to observe a traveller with great 

 attention, and the former to keep out of reach of any missile. So, in walking along a country 

 lane, the passenger is often preceded by one or more of these birds, which always keeps about 

 seventy or eighty yards in advance, and flutters in and out of the hedges or trees with a pecu- 

 liar and unmistakable flirt of the wings and tail. It possesses but little song, and is conse- 

 quently of no value as a cage-bird, remaining scathless while many a poor goldfinch, lark, or 



