66 . BRITISH BIRDS. 
length from ‘95 to ‘8 inch, and in breadth from ‘65 to ‘57 inch. It is 
often impossible to distinguish small eggs of the present species from those 
of the Tree-Sparrow. Many eggs of this bird also very closely resemble 
certain varieties of the eggs of the Meadow-Pipit. The Sparrow often 
sits upon the first egg as soon as it is laid, and the female bird performs 
the task of incubating the eggs. After the young leave the nest they are 
often fed and tended by the old birds, but sometimes are abandoned ere 
they can well take care of themselves. 
In the hot months of the year the House-Sparrow is excessively fond 
of dusting itself, like the domestic fowl; and sometimes as many as half 
a dozen may be seen enjoying this luxury in company. In Derbyshire, 
where the roads are mostly limestone, Sparrows are not unfrequently seen 
to fly from them with their plumage almost as white as snow. The 
Sparrow’s flight is rapid, and when prolonged for any great distance is 
undulating, but when only flying a little way it is almost direct. Upon 
the ground it progresses in a series of hops. It is by no means an 
inactive bird; and were it not so common, its sprightly form and not 
unshowy dress would win for it considerable admiration. But the Sparrow 
‘of the country, the clean bird of the farmyard, is a very different-looking 
bird to the little smoke-begrimed objects that go by the name in towns. 
Even the country Sparrows in England cannot contrast favourably in 
purity of plumage with the birds inhabiting North-European and Siberian 
towns, where the Sparrow’s beauty is perhaps seen at its best. The song 
of the Sparrow scarcely deserves the name, and consists of a few twittering 
notes, resembling somewhat the song of a Greenfinch ; and its love-note is 
a musical twitter, uttered to serenade his mate as she sits, or rather hes, 
upon the walls or copmgs. Its call-note is a sharp chirp, at best most 
unsatisfactorily described on paper ; but most probably, even whilst these 
pages are being read, certainly whilst they are being written, the Sparrow’s 
merry note sounds outside, and renders a bad attempt to describe it 
unnecessary. 
The House-Sparrow is partly granivorous and partly insectivorous. 
In towns the bird chiefly subsists upon the undigested grain amongst 
the droppings in the streets and on whatever edible substances may 
be thrown from the houses; it may also be often seen chasing a 
butterfly or other large insect, and it feeds upon various larve which 
it finds in woodwork and crevices of masonry. In the country its diet 
is rather more varied; it feeds on grain, both the seed-corn and the 
harvest, the seeds of grasses, caterpillars, and most kinds of fruit and 
berries. It is also frequently seen on the ground in fields and grass-plots, 
probably in search of worms and grubs. 
Dixon writes :—“‘Much controversy has taken place respecting the 
present bird’s injurious qualities. The Sparrow eats much that is harmful 
