ACCENTORIN^ 



85 



THE HEDGE-SPARROW. 

 Accentor nodularis (LinnKus). 



The Hedge-Sparrow is resident and generally distributed through- 

 out the British Islands : the exceptions being the bleakest of the 

 Hebrides ; the Orkneys, to which it appears to be only a winter- 

 visitor ; and the Shetlands, where Saxby states that he only saw it 

 once — in the month of October. In Sutherland and Caithness it 

 is extending its range wherever plantations are springing up ; while 

 in winter it comes nearer to houses, where a more plentiful supply 

 of food is attainable. On the east coast it is a regular migrant, 

 extraordinary numbers sometimes arriving on the coast of Lincoln- 

 shire and Yorkshire in September and October ; and return parties 

 have been noticed in spring. The Hedge-Sparrow is known by a 

 variety of names, such as ' Dunnock,' ' Dykie,' ' Smokie,' and ' Shuffle- 

 wing' (the last from its peculiar action), while some well-meaning 

 writers call it the Hedge-Accentor, to show that it is no relative of 

 the pert and obnoxious House-Sparrow. 



In Norway the Hedge-Sparrow breeds as far north as the limit of 

 forest growth, and eastward it occurs sparingly up to 60° N. lat. in 

 the Ural Mountains ; but from the greater part of these northern 

 regions it migrates southwards in autumn ; large numbers passing by 

 Heligoland. Throughout Europe south of the Baltic, it is generally 



