492 EMBERIZID Ai. 
The eggs are of a pale purplish white colour, streaked, 
or veined and speckled, with dark reddish brown: the 
length ten lines and a half, by eight lines in breadth. The 
male, whose song is heard in spring and summer, but par- 
ticularly during warm sunny days in June, is remarkable 
for his attentions to his female, taking his turn upon the 
egos during the period of incubation; and Mr. N. Wood 
mentions having heard him sing while thus engaged upon 
the nest. The young are seldom able to fly before the 
second week in June, but they are generally ready to 
leave the nest within a fortnight after the time of being 
hatched ; and if often visited before they are able to fly, 
their fears induce them to quit their discovered retreat a 
few days sooner. In winter they are gregarious, flocking 
with Chaffinches, Greenfinches, and others, to visit the 
farmers’ stack-yard, feeding on grain, seeds, and insects. 
Sometimes the Yellow Buntings, like the Common Bunt- 
ings, pass the night on the ground ; but in very cold wea- 
ther they resort at roosting time to the shelter and tem- 
perature afforded by thick bushes and evergreen shrubs. 
In Italy great quantities of this species are caught, with 
the Ortolan Bunting, and fattened for the purposes of the 
table; as we in this country consume Wheatears in sum- 
mer and autumn, and Larks in winter. 
Of the localities inhabited by the Yellow Bunting in 
Britain, it may be sufficient to say that it is common and 
indigenous to England, Wales, Ireland, and Scotland. It 
is not included in the Kawna Orcadensis of the Rev. Mr. 
Low, but Mr. Dunn, who has lately visited both Orkney 
and Shetland more than once, says it is a visitor, though 
a rare one, to both countries, but is only to be seen during 
the winter season. It inhabits Denmark, Norway, and 
Sweden, and is found over the European Continent from 
