1 10 TREE SPARROW. 



but when in a tree it is well woven together and com- 

 pletely domed. Straw, grass, and any rubbish the 

 birds can collect, such as string, worsted, rags, and 

 paper, are used, and it is lined with a quantity of 

 feathers. 



The eggs are from five to seven in number, white in 

 ground colour, speckled, spotted, and blotched with 

 greyish brown, ash colour and dark brown. These 

 markings vary very considerably. In some the ground 

 colour is almost completely hidden, while in others 

 the markings are very fine and faint. I have known 

 many young collectors deceived into buying Sparrows' 

 eggs for those of the Water Wagtail, or even the 

 Cuckoo,*so that a word of warning in this respect may 

 not be out of season. 



It is almost needless to describe the House Sparrow ; 

 suffice it to say that the handsome plumage of the 

 country-bred bird can hardly be recognised as the 

 same as that of the dirty, dusty, smoke-begrimed 

 inhabitant of our cities and towns. 



TREE SPARROW. 



PASSER MONTANUS. 



Family PASSERID^E. Sub-family FRINGILLIN.E. Genus PASSER. 

 Mountain Sparrow. 



The Tree Sparrow is considered a rare resident 

 bird. It is commonest in the central and eastern 

 parts of England ; in Scotland it is also found, but 

 in Ireland it is only of very rare occurrence. Though 

 on the Continent this bird has become imbued with 

 much of the impudence of the House Sparrow, and 



