352 PASSER MONTAXUS. 



are brownish-black, edged externally with pale yellowish- 

 brown, the inner more broadly with chestnut. The tail-feathers 

 are hair-brown, edged with yellowish-grey. The lower parts 

 are greyish- white, the sides tinged with brown. 



Length 5j% inches ; wing from flexure 8 ; tail 2j\ ; bill 

 along the ridge 4^ twelfths ; tarsus j% ; hind toe j\, its claw 

 y\ ; middle toe and claw ^f . 



Female. — The female is similar to the male, but with the 

 tints paler, the head yellowish-brown above, and the chestnut 

 parts changed to yellowish-brown. 



Length to end of tail 5i inches ; bill along the ridge 4i 

 twelfths ; wing from flexure 2|^. 



Habits. — The Tree Sparrow^, which is stated by M. Tern- 

 minck to be common in almost every part of the continent, from 

 Spain and Italy to the arctic circle, is rare in Britain, where it 

 is chiefly to be found in the northern counties of England. 

 I am not aware that it has ever been met w^ith in Scotland. 

 The only accounts of its manners given by persons w^ho have 

 actually observed them, are those of Montagu and ]\Ir. Selby, 

 who, however, merely inform us that it never frequents villages 

 or towns, but is met with about old trees, in the holes of which 

 it forms its nest, which is made of the same materials as those 

 commonly used by the house sparrow, chiefly hay and feathers, 

 and contains four or five eggs, similar in colour to those of that 

 bird, but smaller ; further, that it is active and lively, feeds on 

 seeds and grain, together with insects, and buds, has a note 

 similar to that of its cousin, but shriller, and is rarely met with 

 even in those parts where it has long been known as indigenous. 

 This is a poor account of so handsome a bird, but I can find 

 no one to help me to a better ; for on consulting descriptive 

 books, I find only the same sing-song story repeated after Mon- 

 tagu, w^ho first ascertained that the female does not differ 

 materially from the male in plumage. 



