CTT?T, T?r^Trm 
15 
habits, the sheep-walks on the southern heights may impede 
their progress to the countries farther to the north, and they 
cannot be expected on the mountains.’ 
These birds may be easily kept, if brought up from the 
nest. They seem to be rather more shy than the Yellow 
Buntings, and are fond of perching on the summits of trees: 
as recorded of the other species, they also feign lameness, to 
entice strangers from a too near approach to their nest. They 
seem to have a partiality for elm trees, in preference to any 
others; but if the present mania for cutting down hedge-row 
timber continues, under the plea of ‘agricultural improvement,’ 
we bid fair to have neither elm trees, nor any other trees 
left for a bird to perch on; and what^will become of the 
most beautiful feature of the English landscape? 
They feed principally on berries, seeds, and grain, and also 
on caterpillars, beetles, and other insects. 
The note is generally delivered from the top of a tall tree, 
and the female is more deficient in vocal powers than the 
male, though neither of them excel in this respect. They 
continue in full song, such as it is, until the middle or end 
of August, or until the period of the autumnal moult, which 
takes place about that time. Their monotonous ^ay is reiterated 
at brief intervals, and is uttered, at least a portion of it, 
while on the wing, as well as when perched, 
i The Cirl Buntings pair in April, and nidification*ommences 
about the beginning of May. 
The nest is placed in furze or low bushes, and is usually 
made of dry stalks of grass and a little moss, lined with hair 
and small roots; some are wholly without moss or hair, and 
are composed entirely of the other materials, the small roots 
constituting the lining. R. A. Julian, Esq., Jun., has known 
one containing four eggs, which he met with in July, 1850, 
in a steep bank: it may have been a second one of the 
year. 
The eggs are four or five in number, of a dull bluish white, 
distinctly streaked and speckled with dark brown: they vary 
much in colour and markings. The young are hatched in 
about a fortnight. 
Male; weight, about seven drachms; length, six inches and 
ndt quite a half; bill, bluish lead-colour above, paler beneath; 
iris, dark brown: over it is a patch or streak of bright yellow, 
coming round and forming a gorget beneath the black on 
the throat, and a dark streak of blackish green passes, as it 
