248 THE HOUSE SPARROW. 



not be reckoned among those which are pleasant in a room, 1 

 have thought it advisable to insert a description of them here, 

 as they are easy of preservation, and display many attractive 

 qualities, not possessed by birds more generally admired for 

 their beauty and song. 



The House Sparrow is five inches and three quarters in 

 length. The beak is thick, and blackish blue ; the feet grey- 

 ish brown. The top of the head and the cheeks are ashen grey, 

 though the part round the eyes is black, and a broad reddish 

 brown stripe passes behind them. The back of the neck is 

 grey; the back reddish brown, spotted with black. The 

 throat is black ; the breast black, mottled with white ; the 

 belly greyish white. The lesser wing coverts are reddish 

 brown ; the last row but one of the larger coverts is edged with 

 white ; and the last with reddish brown. The pen and tail 

 feathers are dark brown. 



The female is very different ; being reddish grey on the 

 upper part of the body, spotted with black on the back. The 

 under part of the body is dirty whitish grey. The young birds 

 resemble the females till after the first moulting. Several 

 varieties are said to exist, for example ; white, yellow, 

 black, blue, ashen grey, and speckled Sparrows. 



Habitat. It is hardly necessary to say that in its natural 

 state, this bird is the familiar companion of man throughout 

 Europe. If confined, it may be allowed to range the room 

 during the day, and will soon learn to take up its quarters at 

 night, in any sleeping place that may be provided. 



Food. It is, unfortunately, but too well known, that the 

 Sparrows commit great depredations on wheat and barley fields, 

 cherry trees, rows of peas, &c. ; but, on the other hand, they 

 are very useful to the gardener, in destroying, during the 

 breeding season an immense number of beetles and cater- 

 pillars. In confinement they will eat almost any thing, 

 oats, rape, hemp, poppy seed, &c. 



Breeding. They build under roofs, in crevices of walls, de- 

 serted Swallow's nests, &c. &c. The female lays six or seven 

 eggs, two or three times a year. 



Mode of Taking. The House Sparrow is a cunning bird, 

 and it. is difficult to catch it either with a net or by means of 

 limed twigs. In autumn, however, they may be taken in 

 great numbers by marking the bushes on which they perch, 



