FRIXGILLID.E. 75 



Yellow Hammer. Emherka citrhieUa, Linn. 



[Gladdy, Gladie, Gladdie, Golden Gladdy, Yellow Yowley : Dev.'] 



Resident, generally distributed and abundant. Breeds. 



The Yellow Hammer is one of the best known, and is also one of the 

 most abundant of our indigenous birds, as it is one of the gayest in 

 plumage. Its bright yellow crest and throat and underparts of the same 

 attractive colour render it verj" conspicuous, as it sits on some prominent 

 perch in the hedge-row, pouring forth its lively, but unmusical song, 

 which it continues all through the hottest and most sultry weather of the 

 later part of the summer. When most other birds hav'e hushed their 

 notes, this merry bird still continues his simple ditty, which has been 

 rendered in English words as " a little bit of bread and more cheese," and 

 enlivens the moorlands when they are bright with golden furze and hare- 

 bells, and it is associated in our memory with many a summer ramble. 

 It is easily tamed as a cage-pet, and one we had for several years was 

 permitted to fly about the room, when it would frequently perch on the 

 back of our dog or cat lying asleep before the fire, receiving from both 

 animals tender treatment. 



A lutino variety of a canary-colour occurred on Dartmoor, September 

 23rd, 1876. A similar variet)' from Devon was in Mr. F. Bond's collec- 

 tion (J. G., Zool. 1S70, p. 5146; 1877, p. 44). 



Cirl Bunting. Emheriza cirlus, Linn. 



[French Yellow Hammer : Dev.'] 



Eesident. It is rather local, but common in some places on the south 

 coast, and near Barnstaple in the north of the county. 



The Cirl Bunting was first observed as a British bird by Col. Montagu 

 at Kiugsbridgc, South Devon, in 18U0. In the following year he found 

 it breeding in Devon, and communicated an account of the mode by 

 which he successfully reared the young to the Linnean Society (Trans. 

 Linn. Soc. vii. pp. 276-280). 



It is numerous in N. Devon, around Barnstaple especially, where wo 

 have observed that it is a shier bird than the Yellow Bunting, and is fond 

 of concealing itself in the spring and summer in thick hedgi.vs, wliere 

 it creeps about out of sight at tlie bottom, and where its presence can 

 only be detected by the sibilant call-note, which closely resembles 

 tliat of the llobin. When we have heard this note we have waited 

 patiently until the male bird has hopped up the twigs in the hedge, when 

 he will show himself for an instant, and then plunge back into its leafy 

 depths. Both in the spring and again in the autumn the male bird is 

 often to be seen perched on a branch of some hedge-row elm, from whence 

 he delivers his very unpretending song. 



Mr. J. Gatcombe has recorded that he heard a Cirl Bunting singing 



