92 GARDEN AND AVIARY BIRDS. 



The more typical Finches, as opposed to the Weavers 

 and Munias, are usually migrants or birds of high eleva- 

 tions in India, and seldom frequent human habitations. 

 In the aviary, moreover, they are not very interesting, 

 but some deserve special notice, and all are readily kept. 



THE TREE SPARROW (Passer montanus) much resem- 

 bles the too familiar House-Sparrow, both sexes being 

 like the male of that bird, for in the Tree Sparrow the hen 

 is just as handsome as the cock. The Tree Sparrow is, 

 however, a smaller and slighter bird than " Philip," has a 

 pinky-chocolate cap instead of a grey one, and a black 

 patch on the white of the cheek. 



It takes the Common Sparrow's place as a house-bird 

 where the other is not found, but where the House-Sparrow 

 resides he forces his weaker relative to forego the joys 

 of a city existence. I have mentioned the House-Sparrow 

 but to condemn him, but the Tree Sparrow is a much 

 more respectable character ; he is less rowdy, less imper- 

 tinent, and less prolific, and as he is just as hardy and 

 considerably prettier, may be commended to those people 

 who go about introducing Sparrows " to make the place 

 look homelike " as a far more suitable subject than Cousin 

 Philip. Most people do not notice the difference between 

 them, but may wonder, where the Tree Sparrow is the 

 citizen, why all they see appear to be cocks. The Tree 

 Sparrow is in full force at Darjeeling, and is found all 

 along the Himalayas, and from Assam south to Tenas- 

 serim. In the plains of India it is wanting ; but it has 

 a very wide range outside our Empire, from the Faros 

 Islands to Java. In England it is not common ; it 



