17« B U N T ï N GYELLOW
B Emberiza citrinella, Lin. SyJI. i. p. 309. 5. — Faun. Suec. N° 230. — Scop-.
ann. i. N° zog.—-Muller, p. 2§2.—rFrt/cb. pi. 5.— 0//#. uc. p'l. in p. 5a.
Kram. el. p. 370. I .-rr-Georgi Rei/e, p. 174.
Le Bruant, Brif. orn. iii. p. 258. 1. — Buf. oi/. iv. p. 342. pi. 8. - 1- PI. enl.
30. f. 1.
Yellow-hammer, Raii Syn. p. 93. A. 2.— Will. orn. p. 268. pi. 40. — Alb in.
i. pi. 66.— Br. Zool. N° 119. pi. 50.— Arft. Zool.
Br. Mu/. Lev. Mu/
D bscription.
Female.
Place and
Manners.
T E N G T H fix inches and a quarter. Bill dulky : irides
hazel : crown of the head of a beautiful pale, and in fome
birds of a full yellow * : nape greenilh : cheeks yellow : over the
eyes a brownilh ftripe, palling; backwards: the hind part of the
neck, and upper parts of the body, are blackifh down the fhaft,
rufous on the fides, and fringed with grey: rump pale tawny:
chin, and under parts, yellow, inclining to reddifli on the breaft,
and dalhed with dulky on the fides: the wings- are reddilh
brown, olive, or dulky, mixed, and edged chiefly with grey : the
tail brown, a little forked ; the two middle feathers edged with
grey, the others outwardly with olive, except at the ends, where
the margin is grey ; the outermoft of all edged with white ; and
a fpot of white on the two outer ones, juft at the tip : the legs
are yellowilh brown.
The female is much duller in colour, and has very little yellow
about the head.
I believe this to be full as common as any of our Britijh birds,
and known by every fchool-boy to make a neft compofed of hay,
* In Tome birds the cro vn is dalhed with brown, and in others I have Teen it
quite brown, lurrounded with a wreath of deep yellow.
firaw
ftraw mixed with a little mofs, dried leaves, and ftalks, very
ill put together, and lined with hair or wool; generally on the
ground, though now and then in a very low bulh. The eggs in
general four or five in number, marked with brown or blackifh
irregular ftreaks, with here and there a blotch. This bird has
more than one brood in a year.
It is a tame, filly fpecies, and reckoned of little value; its note
trifling, not often more than a fcream or two, and is therefore
never kept in a cage; though in fpring the male has a fort of fon»,
confifting of feven notes; fix of the firft are of equal tones, and
pretty quick; the laft fharper than the others, and continued to
the length at leaft of three of the firft.
I believe this bird is found throughout Europe, and feeds both
on grain and infefts. The flefh, for the table, does not deferve
commendation, when caught at large, as it is apt to prove bitter;
but Low it might improve if fatted like the Ortolan, I am not
certain. I have been informed, that in Italy, where they eat all
fmall birds without diftinftion, they are thought to be very
good.
Emberiza miliaria, Lin. Syjl. i. p. 308. 3. •— Faun. Suec. N° 228.— her Scan.
292. pi. 4 .— Brun. 247.— Muller, N" 251. — Kram. el. p. 371. 6.—
Fri/cb. pi. 6.—-Olin. uc. pi. in p. 44.
LeProyer, Brif. one. iii. p. 292. 10.— Buf. oif. iv. p. 355. pi. 16.— PI. enl.
233-
Bunting, Raii Syn. p. 93. — Will. orn. p. 267. pi. 40. — Albin. ii. pi. ;0.—
Br. Zool. i. N° 118.— Arfl, Zool.
Br. Mu/. Lev. Mu/.
S I Z E of the Yellow-hammer, but ftouter in the body. Bill
pale brown : general colour of the plumage pale olive brown,
Z 2 with
8.
+• COMMON B,
D escription,