TREE, OR MOUNTAIN SPARROW. 297 



exception that old pollard trees are frequently 

 resorted to, in the holes and crevices of which 

 the nests are concealed, and the bird seems par- 

 tial to a low-lying country where these abound. 

 Thus we have observed it plentiful in many parts 

 of Holland, frequenting trees of the description 

 alluded to, and some of the low-lying counties of 

 England also possess it. The Tree Sparrow is 

 not nearly so equally distributed as our common* 

 bird ; it spreads, nevertheless, over the most of 

 Europe, but the localities where it is wanting, or 

 is most abundant, have not been pointed out 

 with sufficient accuracy. In Britain it seems 

 confined to England. Mr Thompson makes no 

 mention of it in his Irish notes, and we have 

 never observed it, and have no note of its occur- 

 rence, in Scotland ; its most northern locality in 

 our islands being the vicinity of Newcastle, 

 where, Mr Selby states, several instances of its 

 capture have been communicated. Out of Europe 

 the Himalaya range and China are recorded on 

 the authority of Mr Gould ; Japan upon that of 

 M. Temminck. 



Male, with the crown of the head and nape, 

 deep chestnut brown, of an opaque shade ; space 

 between the bill and the eyes, spot below the 

 auriculars, chin and throat, black ; auriculars, and 

 sides of the neck, white, the latter extending 

 nearly to the back of the head. Upper part of 

 the back appearing spotted with reddish brown 

 and blackish brown, from each feather exhibiting 

 these colours in nearly equal proportions. The 



