62 ZOOLOGY. 



take grains from the ear, they only do damage by 

 picking them up at seed-time. They feed their 

 young with insects. The damage is usually very 

 inconsiderable, but, on the other hand, the benefit con- 

 ferred is slight. (Yellow Hammer, E. citnnella, a 

 yellow-coloured resident. The Common Bunting, K 

 miliaria, a grey-coloured migrant, etc.) In the 

 family of Finches a number of species are included 

 which are of small agricultural 

 importance: e.g. the Bullfinch 

 (Pyrrhula vulgaris), specially 

 attacks fruit-tree buds in March ; 

 the Goldfinch {Garduelis elegans); 

 the Biskin^Ghrysomitris spinus) ; 

 ^ ,. TT ^ fp iifi .^ the Lesser Redpoll (Linota 



Fig. 31.— Head o£ BuUflnch. "^" -^ Y / r • 



Unar%a); the Greenfinch {Li- 

 gurinus chloris). A few species, however, must be dealt 

 with more fully, and, first, — 



The two Sparrows, 



i.e. the House Sparrow {Passer domestica) and the Tree 

 Sparrow (P. montana). 



House Sparrow : ear region bright grey. A rust- 

 coloured or yellowish streak behind the eye. The 

 whole throat black in the male. Wings with a 

 yellowish-white transverse band. Tree Sparrow: 

 ear region black. A black streak behind the eye, 

 a white band round the neck, and a black patch 

 on the throat. Wings with two white transverse 

 bands. The two sparrows are very much alike in 

 their habits, but the house sparrow frequents more 

 the neighbourhood of human dwellings, even in large 

 towns. Both sparrows are mainly harmful; where 

 seeds (especially those containing starch, e.g.- corn) 

 are available, they prefer this kind of food to any 

 other ; and, besides this, they chiefiy bring up their 

 young on soft unripe grain. Sparrows devour the 

 germinating corn after seed-time, and also pick the 



