PASSERES— FRINGILLID.E 29 



9 82-S8. Tarsus 1 8-20T Billio-ii. In winter, black is margined 

 rufous, flanks heavily spotted black, and bill yellow with black tip. 

 $ Above duller, browner, with dark centres, no black on head 

 and back, sides of neck grey ; beneath paler. 



Breeds. — Norway, Sweden, Finland, N. Russia, east to Urals 

 and south to Ufa Govt. ; also across Asia to Kamtschatka. 

 Migrates ; in winter to S. and C. Europe, Britain, Mediterranean 

 Isles, N.W. Africa (fairly common), Egypt (rare). 



Has bred in Scotland and said to have bred in Germany. 



MONTIPRINGILLA. 



Like "Fringilla" but with a longer wing; mountain birds ; 

 nest in rocks or buildings ; eggs white. 



Montifringilla nivalis nivalis (L.). Snow-Finch. Fr. 

 Pinson des neiges ; Gcr. Schneefink ; Ital. Fringuello alpino. 



^ Crown and nape ashy, mantle brown, wing coverts and 

 secondaries white ; beneath buffy white, centre of throat black 

 (obscured by white tips in winter). Bill black (in winter yellow 

 with black tip). Legs and feet black. Wing $, 117-125,$ 114- 

 123. Tarsus 21-22. Bill 13-14. $ bill in summer yellow with 

 black tip. 



Breeds. — Higher Mountains France, Spain, Switzerland, Italy, 

 Austria, Hungary, Balkan Peninsula, Greece ; descending to 

 lower elevations in winter. 



M. nivalis alpicola (Pallas). Crown and nape browner ; 

 bill longer and more slender. Wmg 2-5 m.m. shorter. Bill in 

 winter brown, yellowish below at base. 



Resident. — Caucasus 10,000—14,000 feet in summer, lower in 

 winter ; also in W. Asia to E. Turkestan. 



Petronia. 



Sparrow-like Finches. Bill stout and conical ; frequent 

 rocky districts; food, seeds, insects, fruit; nest in holes in 

 rocks, walls, trees; eggs resemble those of House-Sparrow. 



Petronia petronia petronia (L.). Rock-Sparrow. Fr. 

 Moineau fou ; Gcr. Stcinspcrling ; Ital. Passera lagia. 



^ Above brown, eyebrow and centre of head lighter, with 



