YELLOW-HAMMER. 
89 
ally, but rarely, of insects and worms. They consume a 
considerable quantity of corn in the farm-yard, clinging on to 
the outside of the stack, and frequently pulling out the long 
straws, winnowing the ears, and devouring the grain either 
on the spot, or at some little distance to which they have 
flown with it. 
The note, which may heard so early as February, is 
usually two or more chirps, followed by a harsher one in a 
higher key, ‘chit, chit, chirr/ and these at rather lengthened 
intervals. The bird generally utters it when perched on. the 
outer or topmost spray or bough of a hedge or a tree. When 
a large flock is disturbed in winter from a farm-yard, and 
alight in a body on some neighbouring trees, a great clamour 
is sometimes raised, and the twittering continued for a con¬ 
siderable time, as if all the individuals were holding a ‘con¬ 
versazione’ together, and each wished to have his say on the 
subject, which, however interesting to them it may be, is a 
puzzle to the ornithologist even to guess the purport of; all 
on a sudden a few, first one and then another, glide down 
again from the trees, followed presently by the whole party; 
the conversation is over, the forage recommenced, the associ¬ 
ation in the mind which recalled some long since ‘by gone 
hour’ is dispelled, and conjecture as to the meaning of the 
languagejust heard is left to its previous uncertainty. Meyer 
relates of a tame Yellow-hammer which he had, that it dis¬ 
played considerable powers of ventriloquism. 
Towards the beginning of April, the associations of winter 
are broken up, and those of summer are made. 
The nest, which is rather bulky, is usually placed either 
on or very near to the ground, on a bank, or sheltered by 
some bush, among the twigs, or in a clump of grass, or tuft 
of other herbage. The late William Thompson, Esq., of 
Belfast knew one in the middle of a field; he also relates 
that in the garden of a friend of his near Belfast, a pair of 
these birds built their nest at the edge of a gravel-walk, and 
brought out four young, three of which being destroyed, the 
nest was removed with the fourth one for greater safety to 
a bank a few feet distant, and the old birds still kept to it r 
and completed the education of their last nestling. The nest 
is formed of moss, small roots, small sticks, and hair, tolerably 
well compacted together; the finer parts of the materials beinsr 
of course inside. Mr. Black wall mentions in the first volume 
of the ‘Zoological Journal,’ his having known an instance in 
