lxxx PROLEGOMENA 



Mr. J). L. Thorpe lately acquired a hybrid between the Gold- 

 finch and Greenfinch, caught near Carlisle in the autumn of 

 1891. This wears the usual plumage of such female hybrids, 

 and tried to build a nest in the spring of 1892. A much rarer 

 hybrid than any of those mentioned hitherto is that resulting 

 from the union of a male House Sparrow and a female Tree 

 Sparrow. On two different occasions I have myself seen wild 

 birds which presented all the appearance of having been bred 

 from a male Tree Sparrow and female House Sparrow. In 

 coloration they closely corresponded with a Sparrow which 

 was living in an aviary at Norwich in August 1887. Its owner, 

 Mr. Otty, assured me that it had been reared in his aviary from 

 the union of a male Tree Sparrow and a female House Sparrow, 

 a statement which its plumage fully indorsed. This bird, a 

 male, had the crown red ; occiput tinged with lead grey ; cheeks 

 greyish white, centred with dusky black. The black gorget 

 was more extended than is usual in the Tree Sparrow. 1 In 

 general coloration this bird bore most resemblance to the Tree 

 Sparrow, while in size and shape it agreed closely with the 

 House Sparrow. Its back appeared to be of the same colour as 

 that of the House Sparrow. Its actions were much clumsier 

 than those of a Tree Sparrow. These remarks may appear 

 somewhat irrelevant here, but they have been introduced that the 

 reader may be the better able to judge of a male hybrid between 

 the House Sparrow and the female Tree Sparrow. [ During the 

 summer of 1891 a cock House Sparrow mated with a hen Tree 

 Sparrow at Aiglegill, where the two species frequently meet in 

 the farmyard. They built a nest, but were disturbed and left. 

 Presumably they bred somewhere in the neighbourhood. At 

 all events a male hybrid Sparrow appeared at Aiglegill early in 

 the spring of 1892. It was closely observed by Mr. E. Mann, 

 with whom I had often discussed the question of such hybrids. 

 In its actions it appeared to be a Tree Sparrow. After a few 

 days of observation the bird was shot, and shown to me. After 

 carefully comparing the specimen with examples of the House 

 and Tree Sparrow, I felt it quite impossible to resist the force 



i I took down a rough description of this bird as it flew about the 

 aviary, but had not the advantage of holding it in my hand. 



