94 BRITISH BIRDS' EGGS. 



we should suppose the eggs to bear a considerable resem- 

 blance to those of the last species. 



THE HOUSE SPARROW. Pyrgita domestica. This well- 

 known bird is very extensively distributed out of Britain, 

 extending generally over Europe, though perhaps less fre- 

 quent in the south, reaching to the northern part of Africa, 

 and reported to be found in India, both on the plains and 

 Himalaya range. The House Sparrow is not by any means 

 devoid of beauty, but the injury which it is reputed to do 

 to the farmer and gardener (against which charge however we 

 have seen a defence entered on the ground of its greater 

 usefulness), renders it otherwise than a general favourite. 

 It builds beneath roofs, in trees near houses, and in ivy, 

 and indeed can make itself at home near the habitations of 

 man, under very various circumstances. Its nest is usually 

 built of straw and lined with feathers, and when built in 

 trees, is arched or roofed over. The eggs, four, five, or six 

 in number, have usually a pale or whitish ground, more or 

 less varied with spots, blotches, or dashes of grey or brown- 

 ish-grey, but they may be sometimes found almost white, 

 and occasionally freely spotted or blotched with clear deep- 

 brown ; indeed, while the general character remains distin- 

 guishable by size, shape, and style of marking, the indivi- 

 dual varieties are almost endless. (PL X. fig. 71.) 



