74 BIRDS OF GUERNSEY. 



65. HOUSE SPARROW. Passer domesticus, Lin- 

 naeus. French, "Moineau domestique," "Grosbec 

 moineau." The House Sparrow is very numerous 

 throughout the Islands, abounding where there are 

 any buildings inhabited by either man, horses, or 

 cattle. In the gardens near the town of St. Peter's 

 Port, in Guernsey, it is very common, and does a 

 considerable amount of mischief. It is, however, 

 by no means confined to the parts near the town, 

 as many were nesting in some ilex trees near the 

 house we had on L'Ancresse Common, although the 

 house had been empty since the previous summer, 

 and the garden uncultivated ; so food till we came 

 must have been rather scarce about there. As the 

 wheat is coming into ear the Sparrows, as in 

 England, leave the neighbourhood of the town and 

 other buildings and spread themselves generally 

 over the country, for the purpose of devouring the 

 young wheat while just coming into ear and still soft. 

 InAlderney, owing probably in a great measure to the 

 absence of cottages, farm-buildings, and stables at 

 a distance from the town, and also perhaps owing 

 to the absence of hedges, it is not so numerous in 

 the open part, and consequently not so mischievous, 

 being mostly confined to the town, and to the 

 buildings about the harbour- works. The young 

 wheat, however, is still a temptation, and is accord- 

 ingly punished by the Sparrows. 



The House Sparrow is mentioned by Professor 



