340 



PASSER DOMESTICUS. THE HOUSE SPARROW. 



HOUSE SPARROW. SPARROW. GEALBHAG. 



Fringilla domestica. Linn. Syst. Nat. I. .S2.3. 



Fringilla domestica. Lath. Ind. Orn. I. 432. 



House Sparrow. Mont, Orn. Diet. 



Gros-bec Moineau. Fringilla domestica. Temm. Man. d'Orn. J. ?,t)0. 



House- Sparrow. Passer domesticus. Selb. Illustr. I. 298. 



Fringilla domestica. House Sparrow. Jen. Brit. Vert. An. T. 1.34. 



3Iale with the upper part of the head light hrownish-grey ; a 

 broad hand of chestnut from the eye down the neck^ of which the 

 sides are greyish-ii'hite ; the throat hlach ; the hack chestnut mixed 

 with hlack ; a white hand across the icing ; the lower parts light 

 hrownish-grey. Female with the head greyish-brown above ; the 

 sides of the 7ieck yellowish-grey, the lower paints light hroicnish- 

 grey. Young similar to the female. 



Male. — It may be considered superfluous to describe a bird 

 so familiar to every person as the Sparrow ; but it is necessary 

 to preserve a uniformity of method, and therefore it is incum- 

 bent upon me to treat this " vulgar fellow" with as much con- 

 sideration as the most elegant and unexpected visitor. Every 

 body knows that it is a small, stout, active, and occasionally 

 noisy bird, not remarkable for beauty, and content, as becomes 



