TREE-SPARROW. 
PASSER MONTANUS (Linn.). 
Fringilla montana, Linn. S. N. i. p. 324 (1766) ; Naum. iv. 
p. 480. 
Passer montanus, Macg.i. p. 351; Hewitson,i. p.207; Yarr. 
ed. 4, i. p. 82; Dresser, ii. p. 597. 
Friquet, French; Feld-Sperling, German; Gorridn serrano, 
Gorridén de monte, Spanish. 
The Tree-Sparrow is a very local bird in England 
and Scotland, nowhere very abundant, and in certain 
districts entirely unknown; as a proof of this I may 
mention that with us, in Northamptonshire, this bird 
breeds, and is to be found in small numbers at all 
seasons of the year; whilst, on the other hand, in the 
neighbourhood of Bournemouth, where I am now 
writing, I am assured that it is, if not entirely absent, 
at all events exceedingly rare. 
It appears, from the writings of various authors, that 
large numbers visit the eastern counties from the con- 
tinent every autumn. 
In its general habits this bird closely resembles our 
Common Sparrow, but differs from that well-known 
species in the fact that the sexes of the present bird are 
barely distinguishable in plumage—the note also is very 
different. 
The Tree-Sparrow breeds indifferently in the holes of 
trees and buildings, and in certain parts of Germany 
frequents populous towns. The nest is a large accumu- 
lation of rubbish and feathers, similar to that of the 
House-Sparrow. 
