it intrude on its territories : we know of an inflance, where 

 a fparrow that chanced to alight in the vicinity of the neft, 

 was killed in an inftant by the male bird ; it is more fre- 

 quently obferved to attack fmall birds than any other of our 

 native fpecies, and often robs the nefts of the hedge-fparrow 

 \ and red-ftart of the young. 



It generally builds a neat compact neft, compofed of mofs, 

 vegetable-down, hair, and feathers ; it is placed often in a 

 hole, in a tree, or wall, or in an out-houfe, and we know 

 of its building and rearing its young in the corner of a 

 manger, from which a number of horfes were in the daily 

 habit of feeding ; it lays from fix to ten white eggs, fpotted 

 with rufl; colour. 



The general note of this bird is little better than a chatter, 

 but in the fpring it varies ; fometimes uttering a low plaintive 

 note, interrupted by a very fhrill whiftlc, and frequently a 

 harm kind of jarring noife ; thefe varied notes ceafe as the 

 year advances, and when the breeding feafon is over and the 

 young quit the neft, its note again becomes monotonous. 



When in purfuit of the female, the male erects the feathers 

 on the head and neck ; mould it when thus engaged, meet 

 with one of its own fex, a battle immediately commences, 

 which feldom terminates but with the lofs of life in one of the 

 party ; when this happens, the furvivor falls on the vanquifhed, 

 and pecks out the brains, which is the part they prefer to all 

 others. 



A variety is fometimes met with that has a white fpot on 

 the crown of the head, and a ring of the fame round the neck. 



