380 BRITISH BIRDS' NESTS. 



Materials. Straws, dry grass, and roots, lined 

 with hairs and liberal supplies of feathers. It is 

 generally open at the top, but domed when situation 

 demands it. 



Eggs. Four to six, although I once found eight 

 in a nest, and a friend of mine at Northampton has 

 seen a clutch of nine. Generally four or five, 

 greyish- white in ground-colour, thickly spotted all 

 over with dark grey or dark brown. Occasionally 

 the ground-colour is white, thickly spotted and 

 freckled with grey spots and blotches. One member 

 of a clutch is often lighter coloured than the rest, 

 and sometimes the eggs are streaked with a dark line 

 or two. They are not unlike the eggs of the 

 Pied Wagtail or Meadow Pipit, but of course 

 the position of nest differs widely. Size about .8 

 by .57 in. (See Plate II.) 



Time. April, May, June, and July. 



Remarks. Resident, but subject to local move- 

 ment. Notes : numerous Sparrow-like chirrups. 

 Local or other name : Mountain Sparrow. A 

 fairly close sitter. 



TREE SPARROW WITH FOOD FOR YOUNG. 



