94 HEDGE-SPARROW. 
generally distributed in summer down to the northern districts of 
Spain, and Mr. Tait found it nesting in the valley of the Douro, in 
Portugal ; but in Southern Spain its familiar eggs have not yet been 
seen. In the latter country, and, in fact, along the northern shores 
of the Mediterranean, it is a winter-visitor ; wandering to the islands 
and to Algeria; Canon Tristram says that it is resident in the 
Lebanon ; and Von Heuglin found it in winter in Arabia Petreea. 
Its south-eastern breeding limit appears to be the Caucasus. 
The nest is seldom placed far from the ground, and is generally 
in hedgerows and in tangled bushes, or among heaps of dry 
sticks ; less frequently in ivy. In a wet cave on Ailsa Craig the late 
R. Gray found one placed on a ledge of rock, at the root of some 
hart’s-tongue fern. Roots and green moss, with hair and wool for 
the lining, are the materials employed; and the 4-6 blue eggs, 
measuring about °78 by ‘56 in., may frequently be found early in 
March ; two, and sometimes three broods being reared in the season. 
An old and popular belief, alluded to by Chaucer, and, long after, 
by Shakespeare, is that the Hedge-Sparrow is usually selected by 
the Cuckoo as a foster-parent for its young; while the observations 
of Jenner and others on the behaviour of nestling Cuckoos, have 
tended to strengthen the idea, for, owing to the situations adopted, 
the nests of the Hedge-Sparrow are easily found and watched ; yet 
it may be doubted whether the nests of the Meadow-Pipit and Pied 
Wagtail are not greater favourites. The food consists of spiders, 
small beetles and other insects, worms, seeds, and, in severe weather, 
any crumbs and sweepings obtainable in the neighbourhood of 
habitations. The short song of the Hedge-Sparrow is commenced, 
even in our islands, as early as February, and in the south of 
Europe it may be heard all through the winter. 
The adult male has the head and nape slate-grey, streaked with 
brown; ear-coverts brown; back and wings rufous-brown, with 
umber streaks ; the lower wing-coverts with buffish-white tips, which 
form a narrow but distinct bar; quills and tail dusky brown; 
chin, throat and upper breast slate-grey ; belly dull white; sides 
and flanks pale reddish-brown, with dark streaks ; bill brown, lighter 
at the base; legs and feet yellowish-brown. Length, 5°5 in.; wing 
to the tips of 3rd—s5th and longest primaries 2°75 in. The female 
is somewhat less in size and duller in colour, and the streaks about 
the head, neck and shoulders are smaller and more numerous. The 
young have no slate-grey on the head and throat, and are browner 
and more spotted than the adults. 
