74 
Wild Birds Useful and Injurious. 
of swedes and rape, and on any grass or other vegetation appear- 
ing above the snow. It is also accused of eating peas. Earth- 
worms, berries, and small potatoes left in the ground are known 
to form part of its diet, and a specimen shot on the seashore 
was found to contain narrow succulent leaves, perhaps those of 
the sea-pink. It is tempting to give a more lengthy account of 
this delightful bird, but it must suffice to record the fact that it 
has been known to carry its eggs or young from a place of 
danger, that it sings from the ground or whilst perching on a 
bush as well a3 on the wing, that many lose their lives by 
flying against telegraph wires, and that hundreds of thousands 
are captured for the table. It is some satisfaction to know that 
this custom does not sensibly diminish their numbers. 
Buntings. 
The Yellowhammer (Emberiza citrinella), Yellow Bunting, 
Yowley, Yeldring, Yeorling, Yeldrock, Yite or Yoit, is one of 
our most attractively coloured birds, and the canary-like breast 
of the male perched on the top of the hedge and uttering at 
intervals his plaintive droning song, confers a charm on many 
a dusty road. When making the most of himself for the 
edification of his more soberly clad mate, he looks extremely 
handsome as he shuffles along the road with trailing wings and 
crest erect. In length the yellowhammer measures seven inches. 
The eggs, which may be found from April till August, or even 
September, are curiously marked with irregular dark lines, 
which suggest the idea that they have been put on with a pen 
- — hence the name of “ writing-master,” applied to this species in 
some districts. 
The yellowhammer eats a considerable quantity of corn, 
both in the fields and in farmyards, but it also destroys many 
insects, which form the chief food of the young, as well as the 
seeds of such weeds as plantain, dock, wild vetch, chickweed, 
thistle, and knotgrass. Various green leaves, blackberries and 
other wild fruit, are also included in its bill of fare, and in severe 
weather it has even been known to attack the carcass of a horse. 
The Bunting ( Emberiza miliaria), Bunting Lark, Common, 
Grass, or Corn Bunting, may sometimes be detected amongst 
the bundles of skylarks hung up in poulterers’ shops. In 
colouring it resembles the lark, from which, however, it may be 
distinguished by (fig. 8) its much stouter bill and by the 
absence of the long claw on the hind toe. In length it rather 
exceeds seven inches. It may be recognised by its clumsy 
Shape, stupid monotonous song, and lazy flight, during which 
