1 02 TREE-SPARROW. 



the south, except in the islands of the Mediterranean. I have 

 specimens from Valencia and Malaga in Spain, but the bird has not 

 yet been obtained in Portugal. It is rather common in some parts of 

 the south of France, and breeds in many towns, but is very local in 

 the Pyrenees. In Algeria and Tunisia it is rare, but it is said to visit 

 Egypt and Arabia ; it is found throughout the greater part of Asia 

 south of about 58° N. lat., down to the Philippines and the Malay 

 Peninsula ; and in Java, where it was introduced less than a century 

 ago, it has already varied so much from the type as to be named var. 

 inalaccensis by M. Dubois. Imported specimens, or their descend- 

 ants, have been obtained in North America. 



The nest is often placed at some distance from habitations, 

 in the rotten wood of pollard-willows and other trees ; but in 

 many districts it is built in the outer side of the thatch of barns 

 and outhouses, and beneath the tiles of roofs, as well as under the 

 coping of old walls and in sea-cliffs ; in fact almost any hole will 

 serve. The materials employed are mostly dry grass and feathers ; 

 the 4-6 eggs, smaller and more glossy than those of the House- 

 Sparrow, are greyish-white, generally freckled all over with rich 

 hair-brown: measurements 75 by "54 in. Two, and even three 

 broods are reared in the season ; the first being hatched about the 

 middle of April. The young are fed on caterpillars and other 

 insects, soft vegetables &c., but later, both they and their parents 

 live principally upon small seeds ; while in winter both young and 

 old frequent rick-yards, highroads and even streets of towns, for the 

 horse-droppings. The male has a slight, though somewhat pleasant 

 song, but the ordinary call-note is a shrill chirp. In captivity — and 

 exceptionally in the wild state^this species has bred with the 

 House-Sparrow. 



Unlike the preceding species, the sexes are alike in plumage. The 

 adult has the lores and a streak under each eye black, crown and 

 nape warm reddish-brown ; cheeks and ear-coverts white, with a 

 triangular black patch ; mantle, wings and tail much as in the male 

 House-Sparrow, but both upper and lower wing-coverts tipped with 

 white, forming two distinct bands ; chin and throat to upper breast 

 black ; under parts greyish-white, brownish on the flanks ; bill 

 black; legs and feet pale brown. Length 5*6 in. ; wing 275 in. 

 In the young bird the plumage is duller, and the bands on the 

 ■wings are tinged with buff. As shown by the above measurements 

 it is a decidedly smaller species than the House-Sparrow. 



