The crimson and black bands on his head, the glorious blaze 

 of gold on his black wings, which are further marked with 

 white spots, as also is his tail, make him the most gorgeous 

 of our native finches. The bullfinch, again, is easy to dis- 

 tinguish ; though from his habit of haunting thickets and 

 dense hedgerows, he is seldom seen. In flight you may know 

 him by his white rump, rosy breast, and black head. But his 

 mate is more soberly clad : though her black head and white 

 rump win suffice to make sure of her when, by good fortune, 

 she is encountered. ' 



One of the commonest of what we may call " roadside " 

 birds is the yellow-hammer ; which can be recognized at 

 once by the bright yellow colour of its head. As soon as it 

 takes to flight the white feathers in the tail and the chestnut 

 rump will make assurance doubly sure. But in some parts 

 of England one meets with another, and similar species — ^the 

 cirl bunting. In this species, however, the male has a black 

 throat and ear-coverts, and an oUve-grey chest-band ; while 

 the female, lacking these distinctive marks, may be recognized 

 by a brown, instead of a chestnut rump. When in the neigh- 

 bourhood of swampy places and reed-beds, a look-out must 

 be kept for the reed-bunting. A small bird with a black 

 head and throat, and white collar, this is the male. The 

 female will display a brown head, buff throat and eye-brow, 

 and white outer tail-feathers. In the winter time, near the 



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