certain members of it. Perhaps my birds were well 

 brought up, though ! 



I have never tried to breed the species or to obtain 

 the hybrid with a Canary. The possibility of this cross 

 would seem to be at least doubtful, though l\Ir. Wiener 

 appears to believe in it, as he tells us that " in the very 

 rare cases where young cross-breeds resulted, their 

 colors were disappointing." 



The hen Indigo is a somewhat rare visitor to our 

 shores. Probably the catchers think such sombre little 

 brown things would have no sale, so do not trouble about 

 them. I remember seeing a large flight cage containing a 

 hundred or more of these hens, in a dealer's shop some 

 three or four years ago, but since then have only come 

 across odd specimens here and there. They have nothing 

 to recommend them, unless one wants a pair, or wishes 

 to breed the species. J. A. Swan. 



THE TREE SPARROW. 



From 

 A. Rettich'S U71 published -ivork on '■^Desirable Cage Birds ^ 



Although a very close relation of the House Sparrow, 

 this species is greatly to be preferred as a cage-bird : he 

 is smaller, smarter, and handsomer in markings ; even 

 his call-notes are less unpleasant to hear. 



Both male and female are marked alike, and, what is 

 very rare, the nestlings are the same except for a want of 

 depth of colour. The parts which differ from the Commou 

 Sparrow are the head, neck, and throat, which in all 

 Tree Sparrows, irrespective of age, are : frontlet, crown, 

 and nape, a soft, velvety, reddish brown, bordered by a 

 conspicuous white collar; cheeks and ear coverings 

 white, with a black spot pointed towards the gape; 

 long black streaks, resembling a moustache, extend to 

 the breast, which is very light but not pure white in 

 colour ; the body, tail, and wings are marked and 

 coloured like those parts of his congener. 



