314 LIFE-HISTORIES OF BIRDS 



Dr. Coues states that it affects a fondness for deep, 

 thickly-wooded, and sequestered ravines, en- 

 veloped by lofty, precipitous cliffs; and in less 

 secluded places restricting itself to patches of 

 scrubby firs and juniper. 



Whilst the female is engaged in incubation, her 

 partner ascends the summit of a cliff, or neighbor- 

 ing dell, and pours forth his pleasing but some- 

 what monotonous ditty, for the space of several 

 minutes. When the nest is disturbed, the female; 

 flutters away silently, while the male-bird utters' an 

 angry remonstrance and manifests his indignatibh 

 in an energetic manner by jerking his body and 

 flirting his tail. The nest is located upon the 

 ground in dry places, generally amid patches of 

 low heath. 



The eggs are oblong oval, and densely marked 

 with reddish-brown, and obscure purplish-brown 

 markings upon a light greenish-white background, 

 which are principally arranged about the larger 

 extremity. The average length is .93 of an inch 

 and breadth .70. 



Passer domesiicus, Degland & Gerbe. 



This litde Sparrow of foreign extraction, bids 

 fare to become one of our commonest species. 

 But a few years have elapsed since its first intro- 

 duction in this city, yet, it has, with remarkable 

 rapidity spread beyond the municipal limits ; and 

 in some rural districts has grown to be the. 

 principal species. In sections where our native 



