522, FRINGILLID A. 
the prince, all buildings are alike subject to its intrusion. 
The bird, however, that is reared in the smoky city, though 
perhaps more bold, active, vigilant, and assuming than 
that to be seen in the country, affords but a poor example 
of the colours that ornament the bird when seen in the 
cottage garden, or at the farmer’s barn-door. 
Of a species so well known as the Sparrow a very length- 
ened notice is not required: the history of the bird in one 
country is equally the detail of its habits in another. This 
is certainly the case with our Common House Sparrow, the 
geographical range of which, as a species, is very extensive. 
Our Sparrow pairs early in the season, and like most of 
those birds which are very prolific, great animosity and nu- 
merous contests for choice or possession occur at this sea- 
son of the year. ‘There are few persons who have not wit- 
nessed in spring the bustle and confusion attending what ap- 
pears to be a sort of battle royal among Sparrows, in which 
five or six individuals are seen indiscriminately engaged 
attacking, buffettmg, and biting each other, with all the 
clamour and fury of excited rage; but the matter in dis- 
pute being adjusted, each retires from the scene of con- 
test to attend to his mate, and the performance of the 
more important duties of the season. ‘Their nests are 
formed under the eaves of tiles, in holes or crevices in walls, 
in the orifices of old water-pipes, or m any cavity which 
will afford sufficient space for the mass of hay and fea- 
thers collected for their dwelling. ‘The first batch of eggs 
usually consists of five or six, and two other sets are fre- 
quently produced in the season. The eggs are white, 
spotted and streaked with ash-colour and dusky brown, 
varying considerably in the quantity of this secondary co- 
louring matter ; the length of the egg ten lines, the breadth 
seven lines. 
ee OR aa 
