In the house they must be treated in the same manner as the ortolan.
FOOD.--In their wild state they feed on the cabbage caterpillar in summer, and when corn is ripe, on wheat, barley, millet, oats, and other grain.
BREEDING.--They place their nest in a hedge or bush on the road side, and build it of small straws and line it with horse-hair. The eggs are greyish, speckled with chestnut. In the end of July, whole families are met with in the fields, particularly those planted with cabbages, and that have willows in the neighbourhood.
DISEASES AND MODE OF TAKING.--These are similar to what is said under ortolan.
ATTRACTIVE QUALITIES.--The male surpasses the ortolan in beauty, but does not equal it in its song, as in this it more resembles the yellowhammer.
These birds, however, are very easily tamed, and may be preserved five or six years.
Emberiza Cia, LINNÆUS; Le Bruant Fou, BUFFON; Der Zipammer, BECHSTEIN.
This bird is rather smaller than the yellowhammer, being only six inches long, of which the tail measures two and a half; the beak, five lines in length, is very sharp, blackish above, and greyish below; the iris is dusky; the legs, nine lines in height, are of a brownish flesh-colour. The head is grey, spotted with red, with small black streaks on the top, and an indistinct black line on the sides; the back is reddish brown, speckled with black, the rump light red brown; the throat pale ash-colour.
The female differs very little from the male: the head is grey with a reddish tint and black spots; she has also all the streaks that the male has, but less marked; the ash-coloured throat is streaked with black and has a reddish tint; in short, the whole of the under part of the body is lighter.
HABITATION.--When wild, this species, which loves solitude, and prefers mountainous districts, inhabits the south of France, Italy, and the south of Austria. In some winters they quit these countries and proceed even to the middle of Germany, where they are found in March and April in elevated situations.
In the house they are either kept in a cage or left to range a room, and the latter seems to agree with them best, particularly if they have a grated and quiet place to rest in and pass the night.