BIRDS' NESTS. 93 



ash-colour and dusky brown, the number and 

 size of their spots being liable to considerable 

 variation. 



TREE SPARROW. Pyrgita montana. 



THE nest of this bird closely resembles that 

 Of the preceding ; the eggs too are very simi- 

 lar, but smaller. They may, however, be 

 easily distinguished by observing whether the 

 plumage of the female resembles that of the 

 male. Both sexes of the Tree Sparrow have 

 the feathers of the head of a bright chestnut 

 colour, and a white ring round the neck ; while 

 the female House Sparrow has the head and 

 neck of a uniform brown colour. 



PIED WAGTAIL. Motacitta Yarrellii. 



PLATE II. FIG. 4. 



As the Wagtail spends so large a portion of 

 its time in the vicinity of water, now searching 

 for aquatic insects in the mud, now skimming 

 the surface of the pond or stream, and cap- 



