404 



CANARIES, H^ BRIDS, AiND BRITISH BIRDS 



The House 

 Sparrow. 



othri' ni:nkiuj4s dislincl ; llu' dark slripfs run- 

 ning well down on lo llu' sidos of hrcasl :imiI 

 Hanks; pcrlfct plunia^'c, a good luslrc on tln' 

 surface, and sleadincss. 



The llousi' Sparrow. Passer ilomi'slinis (Mdcg.). 

 llie coninioni'sl of all i-csidcnl Brilisli birds in 

 (own and couiilry, is really 

 handsonu'. Iiul Ihe snioko and 

 dirl of towns completely hide 

 its l)caidy. In a country specimen its general 

 colour is rich cheslnut-brown streaked witl\ 

 black, with a crown or cap of dark slate-grey ; 

 the ear-coverts and sides of face are ashy- 

 white, with a white patch behind each eye ; the 

 throat is black, shading lo a blackish-grey, and 

 forming up on the breast in crescent shape ; 

 the imder-parts are ashy-grey. The female 

 difTers from the male in not having the black 

 throat and being a lighter brown. 



The Sparrow is so well known that it is unneces- 

 sary to dilate upon its haliits ; and I hough not 

 a desirable cage-bird owing to its having no 

 song beyond a continual chirping or harsh 

 chatlcr, if it is reai'ed from the nest when quite 

 young it will become a very interesting pet, and 

 show great attachment to its keeper. Any 

 ordinary roomy box pattern cage will do to keep 

 il in. It should be fed on canary seed with a 

 few oals added and a lillle bread soaked in cold 

 water and squeezed dry as a lil-bil. Ihougli 

 nothing seems lo come amiss lo ils \(ii-acious 

 appetite. Spiders and moths will bi' (([ually 

 enjoyed, and seeding lettuce as green food is 

 greatly appreciated. The House Sparrow has 

 been exhibited from lime to lime in beautiful 

 condilion in a I'inch show cage, but wilhoul 

 success. 



The Tree Sparrow. J'assrr niDDldiins {Mucf/.). 

 is bolh a resident and migrani, lliougli ^(•ly 

 local and nowhere abundani in 

 Ibis country. a|)peai'ing partial 

 to low-lying counli-y. II breeds 

 locally in many i)arls of l-^nglaml. in Ihe easlein 

 portion of Scotland, and very sparingly in two 

 or- llirce districts of lr<la?id. In habits the 

 species closely resendiles Ihe House Sparrow; 

 it assend)les in snudi (locks, feeds in a similar 

 manner, ami builds ils nesi in like silnalions. 

 except Ihal il fa\(uus IkjIcs in |)ollard and oilier 

 trees. If closely inspeeled il is mueli more 

 handsome (ban suspected by a cursory glance. 

 the markings upon ils head and Ihroal being 

 especially noticeable, but Ihe sexes are not dis- 

 tinguishable. It dilTers from Ihe Iltaise Spar- 

 row by being smaller, and it has not ttu' daik 

 crescent mark on the bieasl ; the ear-eoxcrts ai'e 

 lighter, witli a black pateli on the lower parts; 

 the sides o'' the neck are creamy white and llie 

 shade of cheslnul is more luiiform. II is also 

 a much more active l)iril. When caught it 



The Tree 

 Sparrow. 



The 

 Chaffinch. 



slioulil 1)1' kept in a cage until tame, and not 

 tie placed immediately in an aviary, or it will 

 invariably sulk, behave wildly, and frighten the 

 otiu'r birds. It does well on tlu' same diet as 

 ils relative, and is a desirable addition to a 

 mixed aviacy of small birds. For an illustra- 

 tion of the Sparrows see page 1'2.">. 



'i'he Challinch, Frinf/illii eeelebs (Linn.), is 

 resident and connnon in almost every moder- 

 ately wooded locality. It is a 

 winter visitor only lo the Shet- 

 lands, and a connnon winter 

 migrant on all our eastern shores. During Ihe 

 summer, ChafTmches. like nearly all our smaller 

 birds, continue in pairs, and as the broods 

 become atdi' to associate with Iheir ])ai'enls 

 they may he found in small parlies. As winter 

 apiiroaches these small ])arties join up into 

 Hocks, frequenting woodland districts, and feed- 

 ing on seeds in the stubble lields and farmyards 

 in company with Greenfmches and even Spar- 

 rows. During the summer and the breeding 

 season Iheir food and tliat of their young is 

 largely insectivorous, the caterpillar of the 

 l.epidoplera forming no small ]iart. The nest 

 is one of the prettiest of structures ; it is cup- 

 shaped and generally built in the forks of 

 smaller branches of bushes, in lu'clgcs. ap|ile and 

 other fruit trees, gorse liushes, and in the ivy 

 whiih clothes Ihe trunks of trees. It is often 

 placed liigh up and tlu'u requires a sharj) eye 

 lo detect il. being built iido a notch or amidst 

 small branches, and so carefully ci>vered with 

 lichen matching that on the tree as to appear 

 almost part of il. and often (Hi our rambles, but 

 for the end of a tail poking over such an excre- 

 scence, we nnghl havt' ])assed it. As can be 

 seen from oui- coloured i)lale, it is one of the 

 most handsonu' of the binches. The bii'il 

 depicted is in lull sununcr |)lumage, and in 

 winter the colours are scai-cely so bright. The 

 female has sinnlai- markings lo the male, but 

 is altogether paler in coloui' and ash\ tu'own 

 above instead of clu'stnut. The breast and 

 undei- body too ari' a pale ashy-brown, not 

 vinous-red. as in the male. 



i-'rom ils com|)aet and elegaid sha])e. com- 

 bined with lively habits and short but i)relly 

 song. Ihe Challinch is deservedly held in high 

 cslimation. It is a tiold bird, and approaches 

 Ihe bars of Ihe cage or aviarv with extreme con- 

 lidence. chirping the white or uttering its livctv 

 call-note of pink. In ('■erm;my, where Ihe 

 Challinch is much admired, singing matches are 

 lirlil to lest ttu-ir comparative merits, and 

 similar ccnilests take place in England. 'I'he 

 song is composed of several dislincl notes, each 

 of which is successively repealed, forming a 

 short phrase or song, which, to be perfect, 

 shoulil consist of so many syllables. This bird's 



