HOUSE SPARROW. 141 



has been noticed by Mr E. H. Eodd of Penzance of a large flock 

 of these birds having alighted in a Norwegian vessel near the 

 English coast in November, 1860. Mr Eodd informs me that the 

 captain of this merchant ship stated that there were many hun- 

 dreds in the flock at the time they fell on deck, and that he secured 

 half a dozen of the birds as a memorial of their visit. These were 

 taken to Mr Eodd and identified. The occurrence took place 

 between the Dogger Bank and the Galloper Lighthouse. The 

 birds composing migratory flights like these would probably re- 

 assemble in spring, and keep by the coast as they travelled north- 

 wards till they reached Aberdeenshire, small numbers being left 

 in the intervening counties, in several of which the species has 

 already been distinguished in the breeding season. 



THE HOUSE SPAEEOW. 



PASSER DOMESTICUS. 



Gealbhan. 



ALTHOUGH the common sparrow is a bird of wide distribution 

 and a close follower of man wherever he chooses to settle, 

 it is only within the last thirty-five years that it has ven- 

 tured across the Minch in Scotland. Two pairs were known 

 to be in the neighbourhood of Stornoway in 1833, but nine 

 years afterwards Mr Wilson, in noticing this circumstance in his 

 very interesting volume already so often referred to, stated that 

 during his visit to Lewis, he saw none of their descendants, a 

 remark which shows that in 1842 it had been an uncommon bird 

 in the island. Though still restricted to the immediate neigh- 

 bourhood of the town, it has since that time become very abundant, 

 having increased especially of late years to such an extent as to 

 become a scourge to the farmers. In all other parts of the 

 Outer Hebrides, it is totally unknown, except Barra, where it 

 was observed forty years ago by Mr Macgillivray among the ruins 

 of Kilbar (see Edin. Jour., vol. ii., page 325). 



On the inner islands, though nowhere numerous, small colonies 

 are observed frequenting farm steadings, a remark which applies 

 also to the western mainland, fronv Sutherland to Argyll; but in 

 some parts of the last named county, where of late years towns of 



