f a i r to h a v e n e i t h e r elm t r e e s , nor any o t h e r trees left for a b i r d to
p e r c h o n ; and what will become of t h e most b e a u t i f u l f e a t u r e of the
E n g l i s h l a n d s c a p e?
T h e y feed p r i n c i p a l l y on b e r r i e s , seeds, and g r a i n , and also on
c a t e r p i l l a r s , b e e t l e s , a n d o t h e r i n s e c t s.
T h e note is g e n e r a l l y d e l i v e r e d from the top of a tall t r e e , a n d the
f e m a l e is more deficient in vocal powers t h a n t h e m a l e , t h o u g h n e i t h er
of t h e m excel in this r e s p e c t . They c o n t i n u e in full song, s u c h as it
i s , u n t i l t h e m i d d l e or e n d of A u g u s t , or u n t i l the p e r i o d of t h e aut
u m n a l moult, w h i c h takes place about that time. Their monotonous
l a y is r e i t e r a t e d at b r i e f i n t e r v a l s , a n d is u t t e r e d , at least a p o r t i o n of
i t , w h i l e on t h e w i n g , as well as w h e n p e r c h e d.
T h e Cirl B u n t i n g s pair in A p r i l , a n d nidificatdon commences about
t h e b e g i n n i n g of May.
T h e nest is p l a c e d in furze or low b u s h e s , a n d is u s u a l l y m a d e of
d r y s t a l k s of grass and a l i t t l e moss, l i n e d with hair and small r o o t s;
some are w h o l l y without moss or h a i r , a n d are composed e n t i r e l y of
t h e o t h e r m a t e r i a l s , t h e small r o o t s c o n s t i t u t i n g t h e l i n i n g . "R. A. J u l i a n,
Esq., J u n . , has k n o w n one, c o n t a i n i n g four eggs, w h i c h he met with
in J u l y , 1850, in a s t e e p b a n k : it m a y h a v e b e e n a s e c o n d o n e of t h e year.
T h e eggs a r e four or five in n u m b e r , of a d u l l b l u i s h w h i t e , d i s t i n c t ly
s t r e a k e d a n d s p e c k l e d w i t h d a r k b r o w n : t h e y v a r y m u c h in colour and
m a r k i n g s . The y o u n g are h a t c h e d in about a f o r t n i g h t.
M a l e ; w e i g h t , a b o u t seven d r a c h m s ; l e n g t h , six inches a n d not q u i te
a half; b i l l , b l u i s h l e a d - c o l o u r above, paler b e n e a t h ; iris, d a r k b r o w n:
o v e r it is a p a t c h or s t r e a k of b r i g h t y e l l o w , c o m i n g r o u n d a n d forming
a g o r g e t b e n e a t h the b l a c k on t h e t h r o a t , a n d a d a r k s t r e a k of b l a c k i sh
g r e e u passes, as it w e r e , t h r o u g h it from the lower bill. The head
h a s a y e l l ow spot on its s i d e ; crown, d a r k olive, s t r e a k e d w i t h black
on the c e n t r e s of the f e a t h e r s ; the b l a c k feathers of the h e a d have
l i g h t e r - c o l o u r e d m a r g i n s in t h e w i n t e r , m a k i n g t h e h e a d y e l l o w i s h g r e y,
w i t h the c e n t r e s of the f e a t h e r s b l a c k ; n e c k on the h a c k , sides, a nd
f r o n t on the lower p a r t , y e l l o w i s h g r e y , i n c l i n i n g to olive g r e e n ; n a p e,
o l i v e g r e e n ; chin and t h r o a t , b l a c k w i t h a t i n g e of g r e e n , b e l ow w h i ch
is a c r e s c e n t - s h a p e d patch of b r i g h t yellow, the ends of w h i c h t u rn
u p w a r d s t o w a r d s t h e sides of the h e a d : in the w i n t e r the b l a c k of t he
t h r o a t has l i g h t e r - c o l o u r e d m a r g i n s . Breast on the u p p e r p a r t , dull
o l i v e , met b e l o w b y a c h e s u u t b r o w n b a n d , w i d e s t on the s i d e s , w h i ch
a r e f u r t h e r t i n g e d w i t h the same, a n d s t r e a k e d with d u s k y b l a c k : the
l o w e r p a r t of t h e b r e a s t is d i d l y e l l o w . Back, fine c h e s n u t b r o w n , t he
e d g e s of t h e f e a t h e r s t i n g e d w i t h olive, at some seasons with g r e y i sh
w h i t e , a n d d u s k y in the c e n t r e a n d on t h e shafts.
T h e w i n g s e x t e n d to w i t h i n an inch a n d a half of the end of the
t a i l ; u n d e r n e a t h they are y e l l o w i s h ; g r e a t e r wing coverts, d u s ky
b l a c k in the c e n t r e , b r o a d l y m a r g i n e d with chesnut b r o w n ; lesser
w i n g c o v e r t s , olive g r e e n ; p r i m a r i e s and s e c o n d a r i e s , d u s k y black,
w i t h v e r y n a r r o w y e l l o w i s h or y e l l o w i s h g r e e n e d g e s ; t h e s e c o n d and
t h i r d quill f e a t h e r s are e q u a l in l e n g t h , and t h e l o n g e s t in the w i n g;
t h e first and f o u r t h are also e q u a l in l e n g t h , b u t a l i t t l e s h o r t e r t h an
t h e second and t h i r d ; t h e fifth, an e i g h t h of an inch s h o r t e r than
t h e f o u r t h ; M a c g i l l i v r a y describes the t h r e e first as b e i n g n e a r ly
e q u a l in length. T e r t i a r i e s , dusky black in the c e n t r e , b r o a d ly
m a r g i n e d with chesnut b r o w n . Tail, d u s k y b l a c k ; the two outer
f e a t h e r s on each side have a p a t c h of w h i t e on the i n n e r w e b s , ext
e n d i n g h a l f - w a y from the t i p , the e x t e r n a l edge of the o u t e r one
e n t i r e l y w h i t e ; t h e c e n t r e p a i r are r a t h e r s h o r t e r t h a n t h e o t h e r s , and
t i n g e d with r e d d i s h or c h e s n u t b r o w n ; the rest black, with very
n a r r o w l i g h t - c o l o u r e d edges; upper tail c o v e r t s , yellowish olive,
s t r e a k e d w i t h d u s k y g r e y ; u n d e r tail c o v e r t s , p a l e yellow. Legs and
t o e s , l i g h t b r o w n t i n g e d with pale r e d ; claws, d u s k y.
I n the female, over t h e eye is a dull y e l l ow s t r e a k , p a s s i n g down
t h e side of the h e a d ; the h e a d is w i t h o u t the b l a c k colour and the
b r i g h t y e l l o w : it is dull g r e e n , with m a r k s of a d a r k e r shade. The
c r o w n is s t r e a k e d w i t h b l a c k ; chin, y e l l o w i s h b r o w n , s t r e a k e d with
d a r k e r brown, as is • t h e t h r o a t , both b e i n g w i t h o u t the bright
y e l l o w ; b r e a s t , dull yellow, s t r e a k e d with d u s k y b l a c k : the b a c k is
s t r e a k e d with black. Its g e n e r a l colour is not so b r i g h t as in the
m a l e bird.
T h e young before the first moult h a v e the b r e a s t pale yellow,
s t r e a k e d with d u s k y : as the b i r d advances in age, an olive tint
a p p e a r s , i n c r e a s i n g g r a d u a l l y in d e p t h of c o l o u r . Back, l i g h t b r o w n,
s p e c k l e d with black.