86 HEDGE-SPARROW. 



distributed in summer, down to the northern districts of vSpain ; and 

 Mr. Tait found it nesting in the valley of the Douro, in Portugal ; 

 but in Southern Spain its familiar eggs have not yet been seen. 

 In the latter country, and, in fact, along the northern shores of the 

 Mediterranean, it is a winter-visitor — straggling to the islands and 

 to Algeria ; Canon Tristram says that it is resident in the Lebanon ; 

 and Von Heuglin found it in winter in Arabia Petrjea. Its south- 

 eastern breeding limit appears to be the Caucasus. 



The nest is seldom far from the ground, and is generally placed 

 in hedge-rows and in tangled bushes, or among heaps of dry 

 sticks ; less frequently in ivy. In a wet cave on Ailsa Craig the late 

 Mr. R. Gray found one placed on a ledge of rock at the root of 

 some hart's-tongue fern. Roots and green moss, with hair and wool 

 for the lining, are the materials employed ; and the blue eggs, 

 usually measuring about 578 by "56 in., may frequently be found 

 early in March ; two, and sometimes three broods being reared in 

 the season. An old and popular belief, alluded to by Shakespeare, 

 is that the Hedge-Sparrow is usually selected by the Cuckoo as a 

 foster-parent for its young ; and the observations of Jenner and 

 others on the behaviour of nestling Cuckoos, have tended to 

 strengthen the idea ; for, owing to the situations adopted, the nests 

 of the Hedge-Sparrow are easily found and watched ; yet it may 

 be doubted whether the nests of the Meadow-Pipit, Reed- Warbler, 

 and Pied Wagtail are not equal favourites. The food consists of 

 spiders, small beetles and other insects, worms, seeds, and, in severe 

 weather, any crumbs and sweepings that may be picked up in the 

 neighbourhood of habitations. Its short song is commenced, even 

 in our islands, as early as February, and in the south of Europe it 

 may be heard all through the winter. 



The adult male has the head and nape bluish-grey, streaked with 

 brown ; ear-coverts brown ; back and wings reddish-brown, with 

 blackish streaks ; the lower wing-coverts tipped with buffish-white, 

 forming a narrow but distinct bar ; quills and tail dusky brown ; 

 chin, throat and upper breast bluish-grey ; belly dull white ; sides 

 and flanks pale reddish-brown, with dark streaks ; bill brown, lighter 

 at the base ; legs and feet yellowish-brown. Length, 5-5 in. ; wing to 

 the tips of 3rd, 4th, 5th and longest primaries 275 in. The female is 

 somewhat less in size and duller in colour, and the streaks about the 

 head, neck and shoulders are smaller and more numerous. The 

 young have no slate-grey on the head and throat, and are browner 

 and more spotted than the adults. 



