184 THE BIRDS OF NORTHAMPTONSHIRE 



Sardinia, and Malta, in which localities its place 

 is occupied by two very closely allied species, the 

 Cisalpine, and so-called Spanish, Sparrows, Passer 

 italics and P. salicicolus. In the neighbourhood of 

 Algiers we met with the three species, but our 

 present bird is there in a small minority, whilst 

 throughout Spain it is the prevalent representative 

 of the Sparrow family in the towns and villages, the 

 Spanish Sparrow being generally found in the less 

 frequented parts of the country, nesting in large 

 colonies in woods and thickets, evincing a remark- 

 able partiality for the neighbourhood of nests of 

 certain birds of prey, e. g. the Common and Black 

 Kites ; we have, in fact, often found nests of this 

 last-named Sparrow actually built in the substructure 

 of those of the two species just mentioned, and can 

 only presume that the Sparrows court such vicinity 

 as a protection from the smaller Falconidse, their 

 deadly enemies. The House-Sparrow, though per- 

 haps the most familiar and impudent of birds, is 

 extremely wide awake and cautious about traps and 

 snares, and, his suspicions of danger once aroused, is 

 very difficult to catch. This of course applies to the 

 old birds only ; the young are easily taken during 

 the first summer of their existence, but soon learn to 

 make themselves scarce on the appearance of a gun, 

 and to appreciate the difference between that weapon 

 and a walking-stick. We have met with and heard 

 of many white, cream-coloured, and pied varieties of 

 this species in various parts of our county. 



Since writing the above article, I am sorry to say 

 that I have had reason to alter my opinion as to the 

 value of the compensation afforded by this species 

 in the destruction of noxious insects, for its ravages 



