. Notes on the birds of Northamptonshire and neighbourhood . of this species was taken by abird-catcher on Tichmarsh, on December 18th, 1884,and brought to Lilford alive, but only survivedcapture for a few days. Mr. W. Edwards, who has afair acquaintance with British birds, assured me thathe clearly identified a male Cirl-Bunting nearAchurch on May 27 and 28, 1889. In EnglandI have met with the Cirl-Bunting pretty frequentlyin both North and South Devon, in Hampshire, theIsle of Wight, and once in Berkshire. Yarrell statesthat it is known to have bred in our bordering counties AND NEIGHBOUBHOO
. Notes on the birds of Northamptonshire and neighbourhood . of this species was taken by abird-catcher on Tichmarsh, on December 18th, 1884,and brought to Lilford alive, but only survivedcapture for a few days. Mr. W. Edwards, who has afair acquaintance with British birds, assured me thathe clearly identified a male Cirl-Bunting nearAchurch on May 27 and 28, 1889. In EnglandI have met with the Cirl-Bunting pretty frequentlyin both North and South Devon, in Hampshire, theIsle of Wight, and once in Berkshire. Yarrell statesthat it is known to have bred in our bordering counties AND NEIGHBOUBHOOD. 177 of Buckingham and Warwick, and I have littledoubt that it also breeds occasionally in the southerndivision of Northamptonshire, and only requireslooking for. It is a very local bird, somewhat re-sembling tlie Yellow Hammer in general habits, butseldom affects the open country, in which that bird isso often to be found, seeming to prefer enclosures,and to have a special liking for high elm trees. Ihave noticed this last particular both in South Devon. Cirl-Bianting, male. and Hampshire. The song of the male differsslightly from that of the Yellow Hammer, but israther more sibilant, not so prolonged, and easilydistinguished. This bird is much less lively andactive than the last-named, and is rather dull andheavy in its movements and habits. The food ofthis species consists of various seeds and berries,varied during the summer Avith insects of various N 178 THE BIRDS OF NORTHAMPTONSHIRE kinds. Yarrell says that the young are supplied bythe parent birds ahnost solely with grasshoppers, andin Spain, throughout which country this Buntingis exceedingly common, I have seen the old birdstaking moths to their nestlings. The few nests Ihave met with were all placed on steep banks by theside of a road or footway, amongst low bushes andherbage, and were built of moss and grass-stalks,with a lining of cows hair. The eggs are generallyfive, white, with a lilac tinge, and thickly spotte
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