Perching Birds. 
o 
THE YELLOW 
BUNTING. 
(. Emberiza 
citrinella.) 
Our commonest Bunting, generally called the ‘Yellow 
Hammer,’ or, more correctly, the Yellow ‘ Ammer,’ the name 
being, no doubt, derived from the German name of ‘Ammer,’ a 
Bunting. In many parts of England it is known as the ‘ Writing 
Lark,’ from the scribblings which are the chief feature of the Yellow Bunting’s egg. 
The last-mentioned species, E. melcinocepliala, which is even more brilliantly coloured 
than our Yellow Bunting, is easily recognised by its black head and by the absence ot 
any streaks on the flanks, whereas the Yellow Bunting has the centre of the crown 
yellow, and has very distinct blackish streaks on the flanks ; the breast and sides ot 
the body also are light chestnut. It is universally distributed throughout the British 
Islands, and receives a large addition to its numbers in the autumn. The breeding- 
range of the Yellow Bunting extends throughout Northern Europe and Eastern Siberia 
as far as the River Ob, and in winter it visits Southern Europe and Central Asia. 
The nest of E. citrinella is a neat structure of grass and bents, usually placed 
on the ground and well concealed, but occasionally to be found in a low bush. The 
eggs vary from four to six in number, and are of a stone-grey or pinkish-grey colour, 
with spots and scribblings of grey and purplish brown. 
parts being streaked with dusky black. The female Cirl Bunting is more difficult to tell 
from the same sex of the Yellow Bunting, but it may be distinguished by the greenish 
grey colour of the lesser wing-coverts, which contrast with the colour of the back. 
Instead of being universally distributed throughout the British Islands, like the 
Yellow Bunting, the present species is decidedly local, and is not known to nest to 
the north of our Midland counties, In the South of England, though still local in 
its distribution, the Cirl Bunting is generally met with, but from its retiring habits and 
from its resemblance to the Yellow Bunting, it is a species which escapes general 
observation. To anyone acquainted with the voice of the Cirl Bunting, which has a 
different intonation to that of E. citrinella, and lacks the final ascending note of the 
latter species, it is not difficult to discover E. drills in the South of England, where, 
as late as May, small flocks may be found, composed of birds in full breeding plumage, 
while in the autumn small parties, composed of young and old birds, may be 
noticed ; from which it would appear that the Cirl Bunting never associates in 
autumn and winter with Chaffinches and other kindred species in the stubble-fields 
and farmyards, but keeps to small family parties of its own kind. Such, at least, has 
been my own experience. The nest is sometimes placed on the ground, but is more 
often built in bushes, at a height of a few feet from the ground. The eggs are four or 
five in number, but are rather lighter than those of the Yellow Bunting, with rather 
more distinct scribblings and lines than in the eggs of the latter species. 
(Emberiza cirlus.) 
THE CIRL 
BUNTING. 
In appearance and also in habits the Cirl Bunting is very 
similar to the Yellow Bunting, with which it is often confused. 
The male, however, can always be distinguished from E. citrinella 
by the black throat, and the olive-green rump and lower back, these 
