The Yellow Bunting. 



Compounds recommended for soft-billed birds {vide pp. 189 

 and 190). 



They thrive best in confinement when kept in an out-of- 

 door aviary, with Greenfinches, Chaffinches, Siskins, and any 

 of the varieties of the Bunting family, as they associate with 

 most of these birds when in a wild state. 



When they are kept in confinement, whether in cages or 

 aviaries, they need to be plentifully supplied with sand and 

 small gravel. Yellow Buntings are among the first to 

 be at work as soon as a fresh importation of sand and fine 

 gravel is introduced into the aviary. They are likewise great 

 bathers, and must have a bath given them frequently to 

 preserve them in health ; in fact, all the family of Buntings 

 is prone to bathe. 



Reaeing the Young. — Young Yellow Buntings should be 

 taken at the age of twelve days, or sooner, and fed on the 

 food recommended for rearing Hedge Sparrows. They are 

 fond of worms cut up in small pieces, and given to them 

 as soon as they are able to peck, and feed themselves. 



Distinguishing Marks of Cock and Hen. — The adult hen 

 differs materially from the adult cock in appearance, her 

 plumage being of a greyish green, while the male bird is 

 yellow ; very little yellow is observable in the female— only 

 a tinge on the head and cheeks. The hen is much more 

 spotted than the cock, the spots on the breast of a hen 

 being of a reddish brown colour. Before moulting — as is the 

 case with a great many wild birds — the young males re- 

 semble their mothers. Young, unmoulted, cock Yellow Buntings 

 may be distinguished by having yellow throats and a yellow 

 mark on the top of the head and over the eyes, these 

 colours being much paler than in moulted specimens ; the 

 breast and rump, too, are strongly impregnated with yellow, 

 and they are not so profusely spotted as females. 



Song. — The song of the Yellow Bunting is not very effusive, 

 and is rather a doleful ditty ; it consists of a few notes, 

 the chief of which are "chit, chit," chur," " teil, teil," 

 and *'tackee." Bub when these birds are reared by hand, 

 and placed beside a good Linnet, they will learn and repeat 

 several of the notes of that bird very creditably. If kept 

 constantly in the company of Goldfinches or Siskins, they will 

 imitate the song of either species with wonderful fidelity. 



