House-Sparrow. INSESSORES. PASSER. 299 



lodges the Martin from the nest, fabricated with so much 

 skill and labour. — Its own nest is, in all these situations, Nest, &e. 

 made conformable to the dimensions of the place selected, 

 and consists of hay and feathers loosely and negligently put 

 together. Under Some circumstances, the Sparrow will often 

 build in trees or very lofty hedges ; and the nest is then 

 made of a much larger size, and firmer texture, with an 

 arched top, but composed of the above mentioned materials, 

 with the addition of any soft substances, such as rags, wool, 

 &c. that can be collected about the premises it frequents. — 

 It lays five or six eggs, of a greyish-white, spotted with deep 

 yellowish-grey, and ash-grey, and of a long oval form. — 

 This bird feeds upon all kinds of grain and seeds, and in Food, 

 the summer destroys vast numbers of larvae, moths, and 

 butterflies, with which its young are principally fed ; thus 

 making ample compensation for the havoc it commits in the 

 ripening fields of corn. Although a bold and obtrusive 

 bird (from its habits of familiarity with the dwelling of man), 

 it is very wary, and is not easily taken by snares ; but great 

 numbers are occasionally destroyed when at their nightly 

 roost, by the bat-fowling net. 



In the country, the Sparrow exhibits a gloss and intermix- 

 ture of colours rarely to be seen in those inhabiting large 

 towns, which soon become of a dingy and almost uniform 

 hue, from the accumulation of dust and smoke upon their 

 plumage. 



Varieties of this bird, with more or less of a cream colour,"^ 

 are frequently met with ; and I have seen specimens of an 

 unvaried blackish-brown. 



Plate 54. Fig. 4. Male bird, of the natural size. 



Bill black. Crown of the head and occiput deep bluish- General 

 grey. Space between the bill and eyes, chin, throat, ^.'^^'^"P- 

 and gorget, black ; the feathers of the latter margined JNIale. 

 with white. Above the eyes, and passing behind the 

 ear-coverts, is a band of deep chestnut-brown. Cheeks 

 and sides of the neck greyish-white. Feathers of the 



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