464 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
of colour. A white one was seen about Melton in 1884. It 
nested, and amongst the brood was one somewhat resembling the 
parent. The late Mr. Widdowson had a hen bird of this species 
dusky all over, with the margins of the primaries and secondaries 
dark brown, the chest and under parts being of a sooty tint. 
Between Aylestone and Knighton, on January 12th, 1884, I shot 
a male with bright chestnut wings and back, and dark chestnut 
throat. Another, which I shot near the Cattle Market, Aylestone 
Road, on February 7th, 1884, had the wings white, each feather 
margined with pale chestnut; upper wing-coverts and back light 
chestnut; head paler than ordinary; under parts greyish white, 
as if faded; tail, a dull white. Apparently it was a male, but 
dissection showed that it might be a barren female assuming other 
plumage. Mr. R. Hazlewood, writing on the 3rd October last, 
reported a snuff-coloured one. Eggs vary considerably, and 
Davenport writes that he took at Skeffington, in May, 1880, a 
white egg of this bird. 
Passer montanus, Linn. ‘Tree Sparrow. — Resident, but 
sparingly distributed over the woodlands. Harley found the nest 
in holes in trees, “‘ especially those made by the Green Wood- 
pecker,” and once met with nests immediately beneath those of a 
Magpie and Rook. ‘The late Mr. R. Widdowson sent me one 
from Melton Mowbray. Mr. H. Ellis shot one at Glenfield on 
December 29th, 1881, and Mr. Davenport another at Skeffington 
in December, 1876. I killed one at Blaby on March 25th, 1884, 
and others consorting with Chaffinches and Greenfinches in snowy 
weather at Knighton in January, 1885. 
Fringilla celebs, Linn. Chaffinch (locally ‘ Pink,” no doubt 
from its note).—Resident and commonly distributed, breeding in 
gardens and plantations close to the town of Leicester. With 
regard to the flocking of hen Chaffinches in the autumn, as 
narrated by Gilbert White, Harley was of opinion that that writer 
was in error, as the birds might be immature individuals of the 
year, and not females, as he himself had observed. I have shot 
many, and found the apparent females to be, as noted above, 
immature specimens of both sexes. Mr. Ingram writes from 
Belvoir that they flock there “in thousands, and are useful in 
destroying the seeds of weeds.” The eggs vary: Mr. Davenport 
notes ‘‘an extraordinary pale green elongated egg, taken at 
Skeffington in May, 1879;” and Mr, W. A. Vice presented to the 
