THE TREE-SPARROW. 105 



First winter and summer. Like adults. The juvenile-plumage 

 is completely (including wings and tail) moulted in Aug.-Oct. 



Measurements and structure. $ wing 65-73 mm., tail 51-54, 

 tarsus 16-18, bill from skull 10-11.5 (12 measured). $ wing as 

 male. Wing-formula and structure as in House-Sparrow. 



Soft parts. Bill black (summer), blackish-brown (winter and 

 juv.) ; legs and feet pale brown ; iris dark brown. 



CHARACTERS AND ALLIED FORMS. P. m. dilutus (east Persia, 

 Turkestan) is paler ; other forms in eastern and south-eastern 

 Asia differ in size of bill. Differs from House-Sparrow in sexes 

 being alike, smaller size, magenta-chocolate crown and nape, black 

 spot on ear-coverts, whiter sides of neck, whitish tips of greater 

 coverts, smaller and whiter tips of median coverts, more yellow- 

 ish axillaries, black of throat without white tips in winter and 

 not so extended on breast. 



FIELD-CHARACTERS. Though often feeding in winter in farmyards 

 with other Finches, is usually of retiring nature. Both sexes are 

 alike and differ from male House-Sparrow in smaller size, trimmer 

 build, black patch on ear-coverts, and chocolate-coloured, not 

 grey, crown. Double white wing-bar is another, though less obvious, 

 distinction. Notes bear general resemblance to House-Sparrow's, 

 but are perhaps shriller, and " chee-ip, chup " is distinctive. 

 Birds flying across open fields often singly may be detected by 

 their sharp " teck, teck." 



BREEDING-HABITS. More retiring than House-Sparrow but locally 

 common in suburbs of some large towns, breeding in holes of 

 ivy-covered trees, pollarded willows, haystacks, thatched roofs, 

 quarries, and old nests of larger birds ; also in Woodpecker's holes 

 and Sand-Martin's burrows. Nest. Very similar to House- 

 Sparrow's, though smaller, but never built in open among branches ; 

 often shows little trace of roof. Materials similar. Eggs. 4-6, 

 rarely 7 or 8, much smaller than House-Sparrow's, darker, with 

 finer stippling, browner in general tint, and more glossy. One 

 light egg also commonly found in each clutch. Average of 103 

 eggs, 19.5 x 14 mm. Breeding -season. Apparently variable, 

 many not laying till late May or even in June in north Scotland, 

 but some said to breed April. At least two broods. Incubation. 

 Lasts 13-14 days : shared by both sexes (Naumann). 



FOOD. Seeds of weeds, corn, as well as insects of various kinds. 



DISTRIBUTION. England and Wales. Resident. Widely spread 

 but local, especially in extreme south-west (where it appears not 

 to nest), south and west Wales and Lanes., Westmorland and 

 Cumberland. Has nested Isle of Man. Scotland. Mostly on east 

 side, very local and rare west side. Breeds in some 0. Hebrides, 



