476 THE TREE SPAEROW. 



Sometimes, bat very rarely, the Sparrow takes to the trees, and builds a big clumsy 

 nest among the branches, employing a profusion of hay for the exterior, which in that 

 case is always domed, with an entrance in the side, and a great mass of warm feathers for 

 the linino-. The reader must remember in this place that he is not to confound this nest 

 with that of the tree Sparrow, the bird next upon our list. The Sparrow is a very 

 affectionate parent, and may often be seen, even in our crowded streets, busily engaged in 

 leednig its young, winch sit on the ground, opening their beaks and flapping their wings 

 with hungry eagerness. 



Like other familiar birds, the Sparrow sometimes builds its nest in very unsuspected 

 localities, and there are several examples of their nests being placed on different parts of 

 a ship's rigging. For example, while the Great Britain was lying in the Sandown graving 

 dock, some Sparrows built two nests in the " bunts " of the main and mizen topsails, i. e. 

 the place where the sail is gathered up into a bundle near the mast. As the sail could not 

 be set without disturbing the birds, the sailors augured a speedy and pleasant voyage. 

 Mr. Thompson gives an instance of the Sparrow building upon the furled sail of the 

 Aurora of Belfast, but as the sail was loosened during the second voyage to Glasgow, the 

 nest was destroyed and the eggs broken. Again, a pair of Sparrows l3uilt their nest under 

 the slings of tlie fore-yard of the ship Ann of Shields just before leaving port, and when 

 the vessel reached the Tyne the birds went ashore and brought back materials wherewith 

 . to complete their home. 



The colouring of the Sparrow is really rich and pretty, though not brilliant. The top 

 of the head is slaty grey, the chin and throat are black, and the same hue extends from 

 the base of the head over the eyes in a slightly curved line. The sides of the head, the 

 neck, back, and wings are rich ruddy brown, beautifully mottled with black, each feather 

 having a deep black centre. Some of the smaller wing-coverts are tipped with white, the 

 breast is grey-brown, mottled with black, and the abdomen is greyish white. Varieties of 

 pure wliite, pied, black and dun are not uncommon. The total length of the bird is about 

 six inches. These beautiful shades of colour are only to be seen in the country Sparrows, 

 as the feathered inhabitants of streets soon become tinged with a uniform dingy brown 

 by the smoky atmosphere in which they live. 



. . vQ !• The Tree Spaeeow may readily be distinguished from the preceding species by the 

 •**'^^^~*"'^' chestnut head, the triangular patch of black on the cheeks, and the browner white of 

 I . b ^ the lower surface of the body. 



This bird is not nearly so common as the house Sparrow, and generally places its nest 

 in trees in preference to thatch and walls. Sometimes, however, it follows the common 

 Sparrow in the building of its domicile, and has been known to place its nest in the 

 deserted home of a crow or rook, making a dome like that of the common Sparrow when 

 building in trees. Occasionally it has been observed to build its nest in the hollow of a 

 tree, and to take possession of a hole that had formerly been occupied by the woodpecker. 

 The eggs are different in hue from those of the common Sparrow, being dullish white, 

 covered entirely with very light dots of ashen brown. Their number is generally from 

 four to six. 



In the Field newspaper there is a short communication from a gentleman residing at 

 Penzance. " A Norwegian brig put into Penzance a few days since, and among other 

 incidents of the voyage between Norway and England, the master of the vessel mentioned 

 that midway between the two countries, thousands of small Sparrows paused and alighted 

 on the ship, covering the deck, and rigging. The birds were exhausted and soon died, and 

 some half-dozen were kept from mere curiosity to show to friends. These were brought 

 for my inspection, a day or two since, by a person who begged them of the captain to 

 show me. The six specimens were all Passer montanus, the Tree Sparrow, the Mountain 

 Sparrow of Bewick." 



Beside the markings which have already been mentioned, the Tree Sparrow has 

 a streak of white, marking the boundary between the chestnut of the neck and the red hue 

 of the back and wings. The lower wing-coverts are not so broadly tipped with white as 

 m the common species, but are of a deep black, with a very narrow edging of white. 



