Emberiza citrinella, LINNÆUS; Le Bruant, BUFFON; Der
Goldammer, BECHSTEIN.
However well known this bird may be, it is still necessary that it
should be described minutely, as the young males and old females are
often confounded with one another. It is six inches and a half in
length, of which the forked tail measures three. The beak, five lines
long, is dark brown in summer, and ash grey in winter; the feet are of a
light brown. The head of the old males is of a fine yellow, generally
having some streaks of dark olive scattered over the top and on the
cheeks; it is only in very old birds that the head and neck are of a
golden yellow, without any mixture; the upper part of the neck is olive;
the back black, mingled with reddish grey; the feathers have black up
the middle, and the edges reddish grey; the rump is of a deep red;
the throat, with the under part of the neck and the belly, are yellow,
more or less golden; the breast, especially its sides, as well as the
small coverts of the tail, is streaked with yellow and red.
[Illustration: YELLOWHAMMER.]
The female is rather smaller than the male; the yellow of the head,
neck, and throat, is scarcely seen through the spots scattered over it,
which are brown on the head and cheeks, and olive-coloured on the neck;
the breast is only speckled with rust red, and the wing coverts with
reddish white, so that at a distance it appears rather brown than
yellow.
Young male birds, in spring, scarcely differ from old females, except
that a spot of yellow may even then be seen on the top of the head, as
well as a streak of the same colour above the eyes and on the throat; in
fact, the breast and rump are rather of a deep reddish brown than rust
red, and also without spots.
HABITATION.--In its wild state the yellowhammer is found in all parts
of Europe, and the north of Asia. It remains in summer about the
skirts of forests and small woods. It overruns the fields in autumn,
and in the winter approaches our buildings, particularly barns and
stables.
When confined it is generally allowed to run about the room, but
where it is rare, and therefore most valued, it is kept in a cage.
FOOD.--When wild these birds live on insects, particularly
caterpillars, on which, like all the other species of this genus,
they feed their young. In autumn and winter, they have recourse to
all kinds of grain; but they prefer oats, which, with barley, wheat,
and millet, they know how to get at very cleverly, notwithstanding
the bony tubercle at their palate. They also feed upon rape, and
other small seeds, when they can get them.
In the house, to preserve them in health, their food should be
properly varied, giving them in turn oats, the crumb of white bread,
meat, bruised hemp seed, poppy and rape seed. When running about, the
second universal paste agrees very well with them. It is no doubt to
assist their digestion, that they often swallow fresh black earth, as
I have always seen those do that I have kept; this must not be
forgotten to be given them, nor water for them to bathe in, which
they enjoy very much.
BREEDING.--This species breeds twice in the year, the first time in
the end of March, or the beginning of April. The nest, which is
placed in a hedge, bush, tuft of grass, or even in moss on the
ground, is formed on the outside of straws, interwoven and lined
within with the hair of horses and other animals. It contains from
three to five eggs, of a dirty white, with zig-zag lines and spots of
brown. When reared from the nest the young ones may be taught to
imitate the song of the chaffinch, and a few notes of other birds.
DISEASES.--The disease most common to this bird is decline. The time
of moulting is very dangerous to them, as they suffer much, and
sometimes die; to render this period less dangerous, they should have
fresh ants' eggs as soon as it commences, a remedy most useful to
this species, to chaffinches, and to sparrows.
MODE OF TAKING.--The yellowhammer is easily taken in winter, near our
dwellings, either in a net, with a stalk of oats as a bait, or under
a basket or sieve, which may be thrown down, by drawing away the
small stick that supports it, by means of a string. They will also
enter the area or barn-floor trap, if a perching bird is fastened
there, by a string attached to the leather band round its body; in
spring they may be caught like other birds, by means of a bird-call.
ATTRACTIVE QUALITIES.--The first of these is certainly the beauty of
the bird, but the fine yellow which sets it off fades gradually when
kept in the house, where it will live five or six years; the second
is its song, which, without being very distinguished, is rather
pleasing; its call, though not strong, is heard to some distance; but
this bird, so gay, so spruce, so active when free, becomes dull,
idle, and awkward in a cage.