36 Mes.sî's. SiiEPPAKD and Wiiiteae's Catalogue 



S' 



skin. Eight days afterwards we took another young one from 

 the same nest. This bird was covered with feathers, and was 

 able to make some use of its wings. The parent birds had 

 adapted the food which they brought to their young to their 

 powers of digestion. The stomach of the first of the above 

 Sparrows was weak, and filled almost entirely with insects ; only 

 one grain of wheat and a few grains of sand were found in it. 

 In the second the gizzard was become vastly more muscular, 

 and contained nine grains of wheat nearly whole, besides some 

 pieces, the remains of several small beetles, and some pretty 

 large gravel-stones. 



4. F. mont ana (Tree-Sparrow). 



We have received a specimen of the Tree-Sparrow from 

 the Rev. H. Tilney of Hockwold, at which place it breeds. 

 Mr. Scales pointed out to us this species at Beechamwell, and 

 favoured us with its eggs. We have also seen it at Freston in 

 Sufiolk. 



5. F. cœlebs (Chaffinch, Spink). 



6. F. Montijringilla (Brambling). 



This winter bird of passage sometimes makes its appearance 

 in very large flocks. At Beechamwell, Mr. Scales considered 

 them of service to his land, from their devourino; in oreat abun- 

 dance the seeds of the Knot-grass {Poli/goniim avkulare). In the 

 severe winter of 1819-20 large flocks of these birds were ob- 

 served at Stratton Strawless feeding on the Beech-mast. Bram- 

 blings have been observed in the spring as late as the 27th of 

 April. A male and female, which were only winged, we kept 

 for some time in a cage, and fed with canary and hemp seed, of 

 which the former agrees with them best. The male was the larger 



of 



