TREE SPARROW. 
519 
colour and marking’s. The fact is, that the young-, as in the common 
sparrow, puts forth the black marks last, and consequently in the infant 
state of plumag-e it has been considered as the female. It is a much 
more eleg'ant species than the house sparrow, and differs from that bird 
with respect to sexual distinction in plumag-e; for every one knows the 
cock from the hen of that very common species (^Passer domesticus). 
The note of the Tree Sparrow would only be discriminated from the 
other by persons of experience in science ; it is, however, more shrill. 
So little do people in g-eneral know or discriminate the bounties of 
nature with which they are surrounded, that even the best informed do 
not know the distinction of these two species. 
It is now perfectly clear this bird resides amongst trees only, and that 
it makes its nest in holes and cavities of such as are decayed, and never 
amongst the branches, nor in buildings. 
*On a small estate belonging to Bethlem Hospital, close to the vil- 
lage of Wainfleet, a few pairs of these birds had taken possession of 
some large trees, (the only ones deserving the name for many miles 
round,) which after having been condemned, were reprieved upon a 
representation of their very great advantage to mariners, as a con- 
spicuous land-mark in such a flat and featureless country. Here then 
we expected to realize all our anticipation with respect to the natural 
history of this species, it being the middle of May, which is the height 
of the breeding season. We soon procured a specimen, but in vain 
were all the trees examined for their nest ; not even the house spar- 
row had resorted to these trees to build amongst the foliage. By con- 
cealing ourselves near to some old and much decayed pollard-trees, to 
which several of these birds were observed to be more than ordinarily 
attached, we had the satisfaction of observing one of them enter a small 
hole. No doubts now remained of the place of nidification ; and after 
suffering the bird to remain for some time it was driven out and shot, 
with a full expectation that it would prove a female, the other having 
possessed all the black marks which are asserted to characterize the male 
only. To our astonishment, however, this was exactly similar in mark- 
ings ; and we had yet to obtain the female. 
Two others were afterwards shot on the same tree, both of which 
corresponded exactly with those already in our possession, which occa- 
sioned a strong suspicion that there was some mistake in the usual 
description of the distinction of the two sexes ; and, as suspected, they 
actually turned out to be one of each sex. 
It only now remained to enlarge the holes in the tree in order to 
search for the nests, which, by the assistance of a chisel, was soon 
