32 THE BIRDS OF BERKS AND BUCKS. 



laurel which overhung a stream of water at Fritten- 

 den, in Kent: this was in May 1862. Do the materials 

 of which the nest is composed tend to make the eggs 

 of a light colour, or can the colour be affected by the 

 situation of the nest, as for example, damp from the 

 proximity of water ? I am inclined to favour the 

 latter view. 



TREE SPARROW (Passer montanus). A resident 

 species, but nowhere numerous, and very local. Many 

 suppose that every sparrow which builds in a tree is 

 the Tree Sparrow, but this is not so, as the House 

 Sparrow often resorts to trees for the purpose of 

 nidification. The Tree Sparrow has been shot and 

 seen near Eton, and in Windsor Forest, where a few 

 are supposed to breed. It has also been noticed at 

 Wantage, and Mr. Sharpe writes me word that it 

 has occurred at Cookham and Formosa. 



It usually builds its nest in decayed holes in trees, 

 but it occasionally selects other situations. Mr. 

 James Dalton, of Worcester College, Oxford, told 

 Mr. Morris that he had taken the nest of this bird 

 from a Sand Martin's hole, near the town of Buck- 

 ingham. Specimens have been killed near Datchet, 

 Slough, Newbury, and other places : finally, in sum- 

 ming up, I may observe that although local, it is 

 not rare. The nest and eggs have been occasionally 

 taken in, both counties. The following table will 

 be of use in distinguishing this species from the 

 common House Sparrow : 



