The Buntings 
89 
unpaused, being quickly and sharply uttered. The vocalization 
of some of the notes, as 8, constantly varied, ranging from tee, 
through tehee, to tchree. The same phrase was varied as in 7 
and 10; in one case semiquavers, with a final paused slur, in 
the other, quavers, with a paused vibrato. The notes of the 
phrases varied in number; those of 9 might be as many as 
eight. These combinations of notes were set together in all 
manner of ways to make a song—the song, at this time of the 
year, lasting perhaps a minute on an average. The fragment of 
song given on p. 88 would be sung in from 10 to 12 seconds. 
Of this family, the buntings, Britain has five representatives; 
-—four permanent residents, the reed-bunting, common 
bunting, yellow bunting, and cirl bunting, and one winter 
visitor, the snow-bunting. 
These are not, apparently, remarkable singers, the reed¬ 
bunting being, however, one of the birds that in summer sings 
by night as well as by day. 
The yellow bunting, or yellowhammer, has an indifferent 
song, but is well known because of the vocalization of that 
song —little bit of bread and no cheese ,—a vocalization that 
in parts of Scotland is interpreted, deil, deil, deil, take ye ,—- 
referring to the nesters,—whence it is called the devil-bird. The 
song of the cirl bunting is similar, except that the long final 
note is omitted. 
Both the yellowhammer and the cirl bunting have been 
acclimatized in New Zealand, the former being now common in 
many parts of the islands. Many times has the writer lain on 
the hillsides of Banks Peninsula in the sleepy heat of summer 
days, hearing the iterated song of the yellowhammer when all 
other birds were silent. Its song has already been mentioned 
in connection with the pipit. 
