THE TREE SPARROW 
sexes are alike in colour the identification is made all the 
more easily. ‘The Tree Sparrow, especially in winter, is 
often found in company with the House Sparrow, notably 
when hard weather brings it near to houses. Its ordi- 
nary call-note is a trifle shriller, and during the breeding 
season its voice is more musical, although it cannot be 
called a song. At all times it is shyer and warier than its 
congener. Its food consists of seeds and grain, insects 
and larve, and on the latter its young are reared. It is 
probable that the Tree Sparrow pairs for life, and uses the 
same nesting-spot for years in succession. It rears several 
broods in the year, eggs for the first being laid in April, 
for others as late as July. A hole in a tree or wall, or ina 
quarry, or even in the deserted nest of a Crow or Magpie, 
are the favourite sites. “Ihe nest may be domed or open, 
according to the situation in which it is built. It is made 
of dry grass, straws, and roots, and lined with feathers, 
wool, and hair. ‘The five or six eggs vary a good deal in 
colour, but on an average are smaller and darker than 
those of the House Sparrow, greyish or bluish white in 
ground colour, spotted and speckled with chocolate- 
brown, paler brown, and grey. It is not social during 
the nesting period, but is more or less gregarious during 
autumn and winter. 
The adult Tree Sparrow is smaller than the House 
Sparrow. It has the head and nape uniform chestnut- 
brown, the back brown streaked with black, the rump 
and upper tail-coverts buffish brown, the ear-coverts black, 
surrounded with white, and a double white bar across the 
wings; the throat and fore-neck are black, the under 
parts ash-colour. Bill black; tarsi and toes brown ; irides 
brown. Length about 54 inches. ‘she female resembles 
the male in colour, and the nestling is much the same, 
but a trifle duller. 
iE 16] 
