132 HANDBOOK OF BRITISH INLAND BIRDS 
than in that of the cock. The Yellow Hammer 
may sometimes be mistaken for the cock Green- 
finch by an unpractised observer, when the yellow 
plumage of either bird catches the eye for a 
moment in flight, especially as they are often near 
neighbours ; the resemblance, however, is only a 
very superficial one. The Greenfinch is much the 
stouter of the two birds in build ; its upper parts 
are green, whereas the Yellow Hammer's back and 
wings are warm mottled brown ; and while the 
Greenfinch's yellow feathers are all on its wings and 
tail, the Yellow Hammer's are chiefly on its head 
and breast, as well as being much more extensive. 
CIRL BUNTING. 
(Ember iza cirlus.) 
The Cirl Bunting is a local but fairly common 
species in many of the southern parts of England, 
especially in the neighbourhood of the Thames 
valley. It seems to be fairly well known in Wales 
and the West Midlands, but is rare in the central, 
eastern, and northern counties, and almost absent 
in Scotland. It is probably one of the birds, 
however, which might be found in a good many 
fresh localities by careful observation. It was 
first identified as an English species by Colonel 
