182 TREE-SPARROW. 
the south, except in the islands of the Mediterranean. I have 
specimens from Valencia and Malaga in Spain, but the bird has not 
yet been obtained in Portugal. It is rather common in some parts of 
the south of France, and breeds in many towns, but is very local in 
the Pyrenees. In Algeria and Tunisia it is rare, but it is said to visit 
Egypt and Arabia ; it is found throughout the greater part of Asia 
south of about 58° N. lat., down to the Philippines and the Malay 
Peninsula ; and in Java, where it was introduced less than a century 
ago, it has already varied so much from the type as to be named var. 
malaccensis by M. Dubois. Imported specimens, or their descend- 
ants, have been obtained in North America. 
The nest is often placed at some distance from habitations, 
in the rotten wood of pollard-willows and other trees; but in 
many districts it is built in the outer side of the thatch of barns 
and outhouses, and beneath the tiles of roofs, as well as under the 
coping of old walls and in sea-cliffs; in fact almost any hole will 
serve. The materials employed are mostly dry grass and feathers ; 
the 4-6 eggs, smaller and more glossy than those of the House- 
Sparrow, are greyish-white, generally freckled all over with rich 
hair-brown: measurements *75 by °54 in. Two, and even three 
broods are reared in the season ; the first being hatched about the 
middle of April. The young are fed on caterpillars and other 
insects, soft vegetables &c., but later, both they and their parents 
live principally upon small seeds; while in winter both young and 
old frequent rick-yards, highroads and even streets of towns, for the 
horse-droppings. The male has a slight, though somewhat pleasant 
song, but the ordinary call-note is a shrill chirp. In captivity—and 
exceptionally in the wild state—this species has bred with the 
House-Sparrow. 
Unlike the preceding species, the sexes are alike in plumage. The 
adult has the lores and a streak under each eye black, crown and 
nape warm reddish-brown ; cheeks and ear-coverts white, with a 
triangular black patch ; mantle, wings and tail much as in the male 
House-Sparrow, but both upper and lower wing-coverts tipped with 
white, forming two distinct bands ; chin and throat to upper breast 
black; under parts greyish-white, brownish on the flanks; bill 
black ; legs and feet pale brown. Length 5°6 in. ; wing 2°75 in. 
In the young bird the plumage is duller, and the bands on the 
wings are tinged with buff. As shown by the above measurements 
it is a decidedly smaller species than the House-Sparrow. 
