THE house-sparrow; 103 



black centres to feathers of crowoi, P. d. alexandrimis (Nile valley, 

 Alexandria to Cairo and probably further south) like indicus but 

 cheeks more grey, P. d. arboreus (Sudan) small and brightly coloured, 

 P. d. niloticus (Fayum to Wadi Haifa) paler than last, P. d. indicus 

 (Arabia, Persia, India, Turkestan) small, and sides of neck and 

 under-parts white, P. d. pyrrhonotus (Sind) very small, with pale 

 grey crown. 



Field-characters. — Its impudent familiarity prevents confusion 

 with any other species. Of its various notes, " chissick " (uttered 

 in spring), " tchirp " and the " tell, tell " of alarm are those heard 

 most often. 



Breeding-habits. — Invariably haunting neighbourhood of houses, 

 nesting in almost any kind of hole or niche, in ivy or creeper, under 

 eaves, in spouting, but also not uncommonly at considerable 

 heights among branches of trees, or even in straggling hedges, also 

 in House-Martins' nests, among foimdations of Rooks' nests and 

 in holes of cliffs. Nest. — Characteristically untidy ; built of 

 straw and domed with side entrance when in open, but merely 

 a lining when inside small hole ; warmly lined feathers and some- 

 times a little hair, wool, etc. Eggs. — 3-5, occasionally 6 or even 

 7 ; variable in colouring, one egg in set being generally much 

 lighter than rest ; ground-colour greyish-white ; generally finely 

 and uniformly spotted dark and lighter ashy-grey and brown. 

 Some eggs unmarked ; others have big blotches or dark zone, 

 and few showing distinct tendency to erytlirism have reddish-brown 

 markings. Average of 100 eggs, 22 X 15.6 mm. Breeding- 

 season. — Usually begins May, and as two or tlu-ee broods usually 

 reared fresh eggs may be found till July or Aug., also exceptionally 

 in almost every month. Incubation. — ^Lasts 13-14 days, chiefly 

 by hen, but male also shares in work. 



Food. — In agricultural districts chiefly com, with few insects, seeds 

 of weeds, etc. ; in towns, insects, street refuse, and few seeds ; 

 in fruit-growing districts staple food insects (diptera, lepidoptera, 

 hyinenoptera, coleoptera, hemiptera, orthoptera, etc.), but some 

 seeds, buds, fruit, com, etc., also eaten. 



Distribution. — British Isles. — Resident. Widely distributed. 

 Now established I. Hebrides, but in O.Hebrides confined to Castle- 

 bay (Barra), Tarbert (Harris) and Lewis, and has been noted in 

 Uist. Local in many parts Ireland, but found on western isles. 



Migrations. — British Isles. — ^Appears to move from certain 

 exposed places in winter, but no evidence of true migration of our 

 residents. An autumn-immigration to and passage-movements 

 on east coast of England south of the Wash occur in autumn, 

 Sept. 9 to end Oct., chiefly in latter half of Oct. ; movements 

 in the reverse direction taking place in spring, second week to 



