Fig. 12. 



16 BRITISH BIRDS 



Nest. Place : Any hole or crevice in buildings, rocks, 

 stacks, &c. Also in the branches of trees. Material : straw, 

 hay, &c., lined usually with feathers. A large untidy struc- 

 ture, domed when in the open, and more or less so when 

 under cover. 



Eggs. Usually 4-5. Pale bluish-white marked with varying 

 shades of ash-grey and brown. Often one egg is lighter 

 than the others. There is a reddish variety, also a white. 

 Av. size, *86 x *61 in. Laying April-May or earlier. Broods 

 2-3 or more. 



20. Tree-sparrow, mountain-sparrow [Passer montanus 



montanus (Linnseus)]. Resident in most 

 parts, but rare in W. Scotland and Ire- 

 land. Local. 



Bird. Length 5J in. Much like the 

 house-sparrow, but easily distinguished 

 by its ruddy brown crown and nape, 

 triangular black patch in the white of the 

 cheek, double wing bars of white, and 

 more graceful appearance. The sexes are 

 alike. 

 Nest. Place : holes in trees, buildings, walls, cliffs, &c. 



Material : grass, straw, roots, wool, lined chiefly with feathers. 

 Eggs. Usually 4-6. Resemble the house-sparrow's, but are 



smaller, more glossy, and more heavily marked. Often one or 



two eggs are lighter than the rest. Av. size, *77x'55 in. 



Laying begins usually May, sometimes April. Broods 2-3. 



21. Crossbill [Loxia curvirostra Linnaeus]. Two forms : 



(1) Loxia curvirostra scotica, which is confined to N. Scotland, 

 where it breeds and is stationary except for local movements ; 



(2) the brighter-coloured Loxia curvirostra curvirostra, which 

 is chiefly a winter visitor to most parts, some staying to 

 breed. 



in. Recognised by the crossed tips of the 

 bill. Male plumage mostly crimson, with 

 a touch of orange. Wings and tail brown. 

 Female yellowish-green. The young of 

 both sexes are mostly brown above, dull 

 white below, with dusky striations. The 

 full adult male plumage is not attained 

 till the third or fourth year, a yellowish 

 and mixed yellow and red preceding the 

 final red. 



Nest. Place : high up in conifers. Material : platform of 

 larch or fir twigs, on which is placed dry grass, wool, moss, 

 roots, with a lining of finer grasses, sometimes hair. 



Bird. Length 



Fig. 13. 



