THE TREE SPARROW. 177 



Baldoyle, in the County Dublin, where he found it 

 was known to the birdcatchers, who accurately de- 

 scribed it. They characterised it as scarce, but 

 believed it to be resident (Zoologist, 1870, p. 2018). 

 It would seem, from the observations of those 

 who have enjoyed the best opportunities for studying 

 the habits of this bird, that the Tree Sparrow, as 

 a rule, is partial to pollard willows, in the holes of 

 which it frequently makes its nest. Mr. G. W. P. 

 Moor, for instance, reports that this bird builds in 

 large numbers along the sides of the Cam, where he 

 has seen many eggs taken from the holes in the 

 old pollard willow trees (Zoologist, 1874, p. 4076). 

 The late Henry Doubleday, of Epping, also testi- 

 fied to the fact of several pairs having their nests 

 in the holes of some old pollard willows near 

 Aldwinkle, in Northamptonshire (Zoologist, 1874, 

 P- 3998). The nest consists usually of a little dry 

 grass with a lining of feathers, and the eggs are 

 not unlike those of the House Sparrow in colour, 

 although smaller and somewhat rounder. But al- 

 though the Tree Sparrow generally selects a tree 

 for its nest hence the distinguishing name of the 

 bird it is not to be supposed that it never resorts 



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