372 BRITISH BIRDS' NESTS. 



nests, Pigeon cotes, on ledges, amongst the 

 branches of trees, and almost any situation capable 

 of accommodating a few straws and feathers. I 

 know several small villas in the north of London 

 with globular cast-iron ornaments on their summits ; 

 into these the Sparrows have found their way and 

 turned them to account as nesting sites. I met 

 once with a colony in a low whitethorn hedge, 

 quite away from any houses whatever, and have 

 counted as many as twenty-six nests in the 

 branches of a single tree. Our full-page illustration 

 represents one of two Pigeon cotes, standing close 

 together, out of which upwards of two hundred 

 Sparrows' eggs were taken during a single nesting 

 season. 



Materials. Straw, hay, bits of string, moss, 

 worsted, and cotton rags, wool and hair, with a 

 liberal inner lining of feathers. Where the nest is 

 under cover it is not so bulky, and is open at the 

 top, as a rule ; but where it is exposed it is covered, 

 bulkier, and better constructed, with a hole in the 

 side, and generally near the top. 



Eggs. Four to seven, generally five or six, pale 

 grey or greyish-white, sometimes tinged slightly with 

 green or blue, spotted and blotched thickly with 

 brown, of various shades, and grey. I have seen 

 Sparrows' eggs pure white. One egg generally 

 differs from the others in a clutch in regard to 

 the character of its markings. Distinguished from 

 Tree Sparrows' eggs by larger size, situation, and 

 female lacking black patch on her chin. Size 

 about .9 by .6 in. (See Plate II.) 



Time. March to July or August. 



Remarks. Resident. Notes : a monotonous 

 chirrup, and a hurried scolding when engaged in 



